The ARF-A, also known as ANP VP F1 (French: Appareil Normal de Protection à Visière Panoramique Mle F1 - "normal protection apparatus with panoramic visor model F1"), is a French military gas mask but it is partially replaced by the Ephese in some branches. Its civilian variant is the ARF-C (French: Appareil Respiratoire Filtrant Civil - "Civil Respiratory Filter Apparatus")
Overview[]
The facepiece is made of black colored polyurethane which is very resistant against toxic agents. The eyepiece is panoramic and made of transparent polyurethane. Inside there is an oral-nasal cup and the straw of the drinking tube. The intake is on the bottom front under the voice diaphragm. The exhale is on the left side while on the right the intake of the drinking tube can be found. When inhaling the air enters the filter then the intake valve, from there it goes into two Tissot-tubes on the sides of the mask to defog the panoramic visor, just after these enters in the oral-nasal cup. The strap system which made of polyurethane and plastic connects to the mask on six points. The mask is made in 4 sizes, with 1 being the largest and 4 being the smallest.
Copies[]
Polish MP-5[]
Main article: MP-5
After the regime change in Poland there was a need of a new gas mask to replace the MP-4. The licensed Polish ARFA is called MP-5 and was manufactured by Maskpol. Ukraine uses Polish-made MP-5U masks.
Hungarian 93M[]
Main article: 93M
After the regime change in Hungary there was a need for a new gas mask to replace the very outdated 70M. Respirátor was bought by Comasec in 1990, a French company so the licensed Manufacturing has begun. Comasec Respirátor was nationalized in 1995 so it was Respirátor again. Then in 2008 it merged together with Gamma.
Foreign use[]
Italy[]
A number of ARF-A masks were purchased by the Italian Red Cross and are being used alongside numerous surplus respirators coming from the Italian army's depots and numerous commercial respirators such as the Sékur SFERA. The Italian ARF-A masks were purchased through "NBC SYSTEM", a company providing CBRN protection devices, new ones and retailed ones. The mask can be seen issued with various filters: regular CFF2, CFF3, CFF4, M.58, M.91, and various industrial ones.
Portugal[]
It is the main issue mask in the Forças Armadas (Portuguese Armed Forces) however the designation is unknown.
Malaysia[]
Unknown amounts were acquired by Unit Peperangan Nuklear, Biologi dan Kimia 3 Divisyen (PNDK 3D) [Malaysian Military CBRN unit]. Some were seen being used with American C2 filters.
Kit and accessories[]
- Bag (either green or tan)
- Filter
- Drinking tube
- Reflective outsert
- Optical insert
- Cleaning kit
- VPU
- Extra strap for helmet-mounting
Gallery[]
