• Delivered under a £140 million contract signed with Hampshire based company Purple Food Services, the latest meals feature new selections of food in the multi-climate ration packs as well as the ten-man versions used by military chefs feeding troops in more remote tactical bases.
• All of the products contained in these Operational Ration Packs have undergone taste selection panels by soldiers, sailors and Royal Marines recently returned from operations
• As well as giving frontline troops more variety, this three year contract – which has options to extend for up to four more years - is expected to deliver savings of £1.6m a year to the MOD.

It may after all not be suffering and sorrow for our soldiers out there as Vigilance can reveal authoritatively that troops fighting on the frontline are enjoying new and improved operational ration packs, including a lightweight version and a host of new menus.

Designed for troops on patrols lasting 12 hours or less, the new lightweight ration pack weighs less than 1 kilogram. It includes food that can be easily carried in webbing pouches and pockets and eaten quickly whilst on operations.

Vigilance learnt that the new and improved operational ration packs are being delivered under a £140 million contract signed with Hampshire based company Purple Food Services, the latest meals feature new selections of food in the multi-climate ration packs as well as the ten-man versions used by military chefs feeding troops in more remote tactical bases.

An enthusiastic Private Ryan Salmon from D Company 2^nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment, said:

“The new 12 - hour ration packs are a great change from the normal rations. It contains beef jerky and a sandwich which are great for a quick meal. The chemical water heater and main meal are good when you are on short ops, you can get a quick warm scoff and not worry about messing around with a cooker.”

As well as giving frontline troops more variety, this three year contract – which has options to extend for up to four more years - is expected to deliver savings of £1.6m a year to the MOD.

According to an MoD source every ration pack is nutritionally tailored to suit troops’ needs in different environments and developed to ensure they are provided with the 4,000 or more calories a day they need to keep their energy levels up whilst on active service.

Menus include Hindu, Sikh, halal and vegetarian menus– all of which have been updated.

Captain Jeremy Rigby, Head of DE&S Defence Food Services which is based in Bath, expressed his satisfaction thus: “This new contract - which was delivered ahead of schedule and under budget - enables us to produce innovative new rations quickly, meaning we can swiftly adapt to the latest operational requirements.

Captain Rigby added: “It demonstrates our ongoing commitment to respond to feedback from our troops in Afghanistan, making sure we give them food they enjoy whilst maintaining the high nutritional content – as well as making the packs as light and convenient as possible.”

Shall we then say in the battle field man shall not live by fighting alone, but by every food that proceeds from the MoD?