LRP ration
The Food Packet, Long Range Patrol (LRP; pronounced "lurp") was a freeze-dried dehydrated United States military ration used by the Department of Defense.
Developed in 1964 and intended for wide adoption during the Vietnam War, its use was eventually limited to American special operations forces during long-range reconnaissance patrols, where bulky canned Meal, Combat, Individual (MCI) rations proved too heavy for extended missions on foot.
They are no longer produced or used by the U.S. military, having been replaced in 2001 by the Meal, Cold Weather/Food Packet, Long Range Patrol (MCW/LRP), which combines the functions and roles of both rations under a unified system.
Before the outbreak of World War II, Army commanders had recognized the inadequacy of heavy canned wet rations when employed for infantry marching on long patrols, especially in extreme environments such as mountain or jungle terrain.
The Jungle ration was a dry, lightweight multi-component daily meal that could be stored in light waterproof bags, easily carried by a foot soldier, and which would not spoil when exposed to heat and humidity for an extended period of time.
By all accounts the Jungle ration was successful; however, cost concerns led to its replacement, first by substitution of increasingly heavier and less expensive canned components, followed by complete discontinuance in 1943.
[5] The FPIC differed from the standard wet-pack MCI in that it was a freeze-dried, vacuum-packed individual ration meal weighing 11 ounces (310 g) packed in a waterproof grey-green canvas envelope lined with aluminum foil.
[6] Due to its tendency to spoil in wet or humid environments (common in Southeast Asia), later ration packs came enclosed in an outer zip-lock clear-plastic bag to keep out the moisture.
The accessory packet contained:[11] Although compact, the LRP daily ration was 'energy depleted', supplying 5,000 kilojoules (1,200 kcal) less energy per day than the MCI.
As in years past, this was done in order to further standardize supply and save costs, as both were considered compact, high-energy meals that were designed for use by active soldiers in the field.
