I have operated in enemy territory and I also have some friends who were lost behind enemy lines.
You don’t need a lot of things to get back to your own people. A map, for example, is a nice thing to have but it won’t show you where your enemy is positioned or where your own guys are, at least not in real-time.
As these “trips” into enemy territory usually don’t last very long (maximum 24 hours) you also don’t need some fancy survival gear or a lot of food and water.
A radio is also not really necessary. Your enemy might even pick up your radiofrequency signal and locate you before someone from your own side decides to send out a search and rescue party.
You also don’t need some “special” guns or survival knives. You will neither fight nor hunt.
In addition to this, in such a situation, you should travel as lightly as possible: get rid of your body armor, your helmet, and other unnecessary stuff (axes, excess ammo, squad weapons).
Returning from a night mission behind enemy lines during the Kosovo War. As you can see, I didn’t carry a lot of gear.
So what would I choose instead?
- Weapons: my rifle, three or four mags, and two hand grenades.
- Clothing: a jacket, a poncho, and a pair of light boots.
- Food and drinks: two 1 liter water bottles, disinfection tablets, and a combat ration.
- Additional stuff: a night vision optic, the more advanced, the better. Spare batteries for it.
That’s all. Far more important than what you carry is what you do, your tactics. Your skills will save you, not your gear.