A senior British Army officer has labeled his own organization the “laughing stock” of Europe, criticizing its outdated weapons as ineffective against enemy forces wearing advanced body armor.“The Europeans used to love all of our kit. But now, [they] laugh at it,” the unnamed officer told The Times.He pointed to the aging L115A3 sniper rifle, which is still in use by about 500 snipers in the British Army, while other armed forces have already upgraded to the latest models.Snipers from other European countries are reportedly “mind blown” that the UK still relies on the outdated weapon.“The UK had fallen far behind the curve as far as capability goes,” the serving officer noted.‘Not Even Close’A second source told the same outlet that the standard SA-80 5.56mm assault rifle, in service with the British Army for over four decades, has seen little change since its introduction in the 1980s.The Russian helmets the rifle was originally designed to pierce have already been retired, and Russian forces now reportedly wear advanced armor with “level 4” protection.“Your average [British] soldier wouldn’t be able to defeat it, not even close,” the source stated.He also pointed out that allied forces, like the US Army, have switched to a more lethal 6.8mm ammunition caliber, far surpassing the 5.56mm round.A 2017 US Senate report submitted by late US Major General Robert Scales also concluded that the 5.56mm round used in the SA-80 is indeed ineffective against modern Russian body armor.In response, a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson emphasized that the SA-80 had been upgraded in recent years, making it “one of the most accurate service rifles.” The post British Army Called Europe’s ‘Laughing Stock’ Due to Obsolete Weaponry appeared first on The Defense Post.