U.S and British Troops to Issue New Uniforms

[Juno Beach]

U.S. Army testing new camouflage

As part of the effort to find the right camouflage, the 4th ID’s 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment is wearing a pattern called “MultiCam,” which is popular with recreational paintball players and some Special Forces troops. The 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment is testing a pattern known as UCP Delta — a variation on the digital pattern that appears on ACUs, but with 30 percent less sand- and grey-colored areas and added “coyote brown” splotches.

British Army to get new uniforms – turned down by the US and made in China

The focus group phase involved a "fashion show" of up to 60 soldiers. Modern-style "digital" or "pixilated" camouflages, which are used by, among others, the Canadian and Germany military, were rejected as being "too 1990s."

We must be fashionable in the field

Other designs filtered out included some that bore resemblance to uniforms of the Second World War Waffen SS units.

But the Waffen SS universal camouflage uniform was the coolest of WW2 !!

Cordially,

JB

[MikeyD]

I had just read on the BBC about the Brits, I didn't know about the U.S. How old is the current pattern? 7 years?

[Battlefront.com]

Universal Camouflage Pattern (what the ACU's pattern is officially called) has been around since 2003, though it didn't get wide spread issue until 2005. So one can say it's really only been a standard issue for 4 years. The thing was there was so much disdain for the uniform itself, and its camouflage functionality, it was pretty clear the thing was doomed to a short lifespan.

Now that the Brits have snagged MultiCam I guess that's now out of the running for the US Army replacement.

Steve

[Juno Beach]

Hi, I wonder if having dual pattern reversible camouflage might be better, just turn the uniform inside outside like this old SS waffen uniform :confused:

[Noltyboy]

Universal Camouflage Pattern (what the ACU's pattern is officially called) has been around since 2003, though it didn't get wide spread issue until 2005. So one can say it's really only been a standard issue for 4 years. The thing was there was so much disdain for the uniform itself, and its camouflage functionality, it was pretty clear the thing was doomed to a short lifespan.

Now that the Brits have snagged MultiCam I guess that's now out of the running for the US Army replacement.

Steve

BF its not a direct copy of multicam its been "DPMified" to look like old DPM so people recognise them as being british.

Edit can we lock this thread as there are two and its getting confusing.

[Juno Beach]

Edit can we lock this thread as there are two and its getting confusing.

I don't think we should lock this thread as it involves both US and British uniforms from a different perspective. Perhaps, we can lock Noltyboy's thread as it is one dimensional

Cordially,

JB

[Clavicula_Nox]

I hope UCP-Delta loses. It's like putting a bandaid on a severed limb. It's *better* but still not good. I like the new British camo, and I'm interested in seeing how that works out.

[Noltyboy]

I don't think we should lock this thread as it involves both US and British uniforms from a different perspective. Perhaps, we can lock Noltyboy's thread as it is one dimensional

Cordially,

JB

Otherone aint my thread

Just felt silly when i corrected BF on here then it turned out he'd corrected himself on the other one! And there is more talking about yank uniform on the other thread than this one!!

[Juno Beach]

Hi Group,

If you had to wear one, which would you take,

1) the new British MTP;

2) the 1990's Canadian CADPAT

3) the Marines MARPAT;

4) or another camouflage colour.

Myself, I think I would have to go with the CADPAT. It has gone under significant testing and has a distinctive colour for the jungle and desert environments. It would be nice to see them design an arctic colour considering Canada is under snow a significant part of the year and the potential for a future war in the article circle. Oh, may be an urban pattern too :eek:

[Clavicula_Nox]

1,2,and3 are all good, I think. I don't know which I would prefer over the other.

[Pandur]

this seems to me they are on a quest for a perfect camo uniform. but every time they think they found it they begin to see where it is lacking and start a new only to repeat the whole process.

a camo can only be made for certain areas and landscaps, the more specialized it is, the better it works. if they think they can come up with the universal pattern that hides you everywhere and in any condition they might as well go and look for the holly grail.

[gibsonm]

Hi Group,

If you had to wear one, which would you take,

1) the new British MTP;

2) the 1990's Canadian CADPAT

3) the Marines MARPAT;

4) or another camouflage colour.

Myself, I think I would have to go with the CADPAT. It has gone under significant testing and has a distinctive colour for the jungle and desert environments. It would be nice to see them design an arctic colour considering Canada is under snow a significant part of the year and the potential for a future war in the article circle. Oh, may be an urban pattern too :eek:

The one I'm issued.

That's why its called a "uniform".

[Homo ferricus]

I'm truly very sorry, but it's hard to take the DPCU pattern very seriously, despite how effective/ineffective it may have been proven to be.

I mean, look at it! It looks like wallpaper for an infants room...

[Juno Beach]

I thought the People's Liberation Army's woodland pattern Type 99 was the oddest until I just saw the DPCU :eek:

Can anyone advise me why they would include blue in these two types of camo :confused:

Thank you,

JB

[gibsonm]

I thought the People's Liberation Army's woodland pattern Type 99 was the oddest until I just saw the DPCU :eek:

Can anyone advise me why they would include blue in these two types of camo :confused:

Thank you,

JB

Can't speak to the PLA uniform but there isn't any blue in my DPCU. Maybe you are mistaking the darker shade of green for blue?

If you look at the picture above (as opposed to the wikipedia entry) it might be clearer (or perhaps sit for a colour perception test?).

There is a version for the RAN that has blue and grey instead of green and brown.

[Pandur]

maybe you never saw the large amounts of red/orange in some swiss uniforms, not sure if they still use it. i can see why they did that as we austrians had similar colours once but in summer/spring and winter you look like a clown. only in fall it shines.

[Noltyboy]

Which would i choose? MTP of course, can't stand this "trendy" digi camo, its a product of the computer game era where a bunch of "experts" looked at some terrain on a PC screen and went ooooohh pixles hide realy well, having not stood out side for several years before hand.

Which will i be made too wear? Nice light/dark blue cos first sea lord says we need to look like sailors for once!!

[Noltyboy]

Can't speak to the PLA uniform but there isn't any blue in my DPCU. Maybe you are mistaking the darker shade of green for blue?

If you look at the picture above (as opposed to the wikipedia entry) it might be clearer.

there is a version for the RAN that has blue and grey instead of green and brown.

Hell the RAN have reflective strips on there's as well i kid you not!!

*Edit*Found it!!

[gibsonm]

Hell the RAN have reflective strips on there's as well i kid you not!!

And they stroll around wearing baseball caps.

But in deference to you, I wont get into a discussion of our "Senior service" and its ideas of dress and bearing.

[Noltyboy]

And they stroll around wearing baseball caps.

But in deference to you, I wont get into a discussion of our "Senior service" and its ideas of dress and bearing.

I thought my lot where bad with our landing pad Berets!

[gibsonm]

Well I think they do still have "white's" Summer and dark blue Winter "rig" but they tend to be reserved for special occasions and don't seem to be dress of the day.

I suspect our three services have tended to adopt "practical" uniforms which have just led to people being lazy (not supposed to iron, brown boots that don't get polished, etc.)

For what its worth I think your First Sea Lord has it right.

[Motorfix]

I use Mulitcam for paintball. Works great in the winter with dead colours.

[Battlefront.com]

Remember that uniforms are not just for combat. There are plenty of uniforms in service which are simply fashion statements. In such cases the colors are irrelevant in terms of camouflage purposes.

Most desert camouflage patterns are simply the temperate versions with fewer and different colors. Sometimes this produces acceptable desert camouflage (as with British Desert DPM), other times it doesn't. There are few uniforms out there with camouflage purposefully made for a desert environment. Arid CADPAT (Canadian) is one of these in that the shapes are larger, which is better defense against longer range observation.

Navy/Marines units often have blue in them for what should be an obvious non-camouflage reason (hint, H2O has a certain typical color ). The new Australian Navy uniform is a good example of this, as is the recent US Navy uniform. Neither are supposed to be worn in ground combat rolls.

The Swiss camo is based on late war Third Reich designs intended as the world's first purpose designed universal camo. It does extremely well in certain types of terrain, including urban. MultiCam shares some characteristics of the pattern in terms of the shapes and concepts of blending. It's just done with much higher tech printing than was available back in 1945.

Steve

[Noltyboy]

Navy/Marines units often have blue in them for what should be an obvious non-camouflage reason (hint, H2O has a certain typical color ). The new Australian Navy uniform is a good example of this, as is the recent US Navy uniform. Neither are supposed to be worn in ground combat rolls.

Then why have them with camoflage patterns? Ships are big and gray and obvious. The only upshot is that it might stop half the crew on USN carriers wearing BDU's all over the place.

The only time you would need camoflage are people conducting Upper Deck Sentry duties. They can use normal army/marine camoflage then as the reason to wear it isnt to hide you but to make your presence obvious and threatning. Mr Terrorist comes along drives his boat up and sees a warship with several armed men in camo walking the deck telling him to move away or they will shoot he thinks hmmm heavily defended by Marines/Soldiers im going somewhere else. This has happened in the real world as im describing.

[Michael Emrys]

Then why have them with camoflage patterns? Ships are big and gray and obvious.

During WW II the Navy issued medium dark blue caps for the enlisted sailors to wear at sea. The rationale for this move was that having a bunch of guys topside in white caps made the ships easier to spot from the air. What they proposed to do about the ship's wake I do not know.

Michael