http://www.army.mil/-news/2009/09/18/27514-new-cammo-pattern-may-blend-in-better-in-afghanistan/

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Sept. 17, 2009) –– Servicemembers fighting in Afghanistan will soon see two new test camouflage patterns on the backs of fellow Soldiers.

By the end of September, the Army will begin shipping uniforms with the "MultiCam" and "Universal Camouflage Pattern - Delta" to two yet-unnamed battalions that will serve rotations in Afghanistan –– one pattern each. Additionally, the Army will provide "ghillie suits," in the MultiCam pattern, to authorized units.

Soldiers, about 2,000 in all, will test out the uniforms to see how effective the camouflage patterns are at providing concealment in the varying terrain of Afghanistan.

The Army will gather feedback from Soldiers wearing the uniforms and use that, along with other testing and evaluation, to make a decision to produce and field alternative uniforms and operational clothing and individual equipment to some units serving as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

"I think we will make decisions in Afghanistan in the January time frame, and also we will have finished the picture study," said Col. William E. Cole, a project manager with PM Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment.

Program Executive Office Soldier, the agency responsible for developing the uniforms, will additionally test the efficacy of several other camouflage patterns in Afghanistan –– though those will not be handed out to Soldiers there.

"That will determine what other uniform options they could have in Afghanistan," Cole added. "So to the commanders in Afghanistan, we'll be able to show them the data and say here's what we found, different results in different areas with different uniforms, what would you like to do? And of course we will support the commanders."

Cole said after a decision is made about fielding an optional camouflage pattern to commanders, uniforms bearing that pattern could be available in a relatively short time.

"We'd start fielding the first units easily within six months of the decision," Cole said.

Were new uniforms to be introduced, Cole said, they would be the same as what Soldiers are already wearing –– the ACU. It would be the camouflage printed on the fabric that would change. And the new uniforms would be an option for commanders –– something available were field conditions to warrant it.

"As a material provider, I want to be responsive to the Soldiers I support," Cole said. "I want to give commanders options, I want to be responsive to Soldiers. That is what we were trying to do –– we're working to give (them) more options."

The "MultiCam" pattern, one of the two to be issued in Afghanistan, is actually a commercial product and bears similarities to what was featured on the now discontinued "Battle Dress Uniform." The "Universal Camouflage Pattern - Delta," is similar to what Soldiers are wearing now, with the addition of the color "Coyote Brown."

Wait...ACU sucks...what?

Will it help them blend into their enormous hmmwv's?

Army going to Marpat would be hilarious.  more points if they came with ega's on em too


 

Are they telling me that the civilian free market might be better then something done in house?!?!?

NO WAY ACU IS PERFECT WHEN ITS DIRTY OR DUSTY!!!11!









 

At what point does it begin to dawn on them that "one size fits all," simply does not work with cammo.

I applaud the fact that they keep trying to make it better, but from what I have seen in pictures, the changes in Afghanistan from one place to another (much like the US) is very different.

I love Multicam, but every time I hear the name I think of this:

(could because I love milla too)

Please see this thread: UCP-Delta

Obligatory UCP-Delta pic

The Army needs to go back to these.



Nothing was more comfortable (pure cotton) and they wore like iron (because they were pure cotton).












 
 
 

Looks an awful lot like digital Woodland.

They should just reissue 'Woodland'.  

FIXED







 

While I'll agree cotton is comfortable...cotton kills. That shit retains water and doesnt dry out fast enough which is a sure way to freeze to death in Afghanistan

Didn't they already do these tests?  Didn't then some genius come to the ultimate conclusion that a bright gray coloration was effective in ALL environments.  Really, gray in woodland?  Grey in desert?  These idiots, if they had half a brain that was firing on all cylinders, should have adopted Multicam from the beginning.

Or at least gone with a different, more effective coloration for the ACU ...

It isn't warm either.


It makes for a great summer uniform though.


I've been in the jungle down in Panama with all three of the old uniforms, Jungle OD, light and heavy weight BDUs.


The ODs were cooler than the light weight BDUs by about the same margin as between the light and heavy BDUs. ( a LOT )





Do the ACUs come in light and heavy weight like the old BDUs, or does the Army now suffer with only heavy weights?

 

Why don't we all just move to OD and FDE flight suits, 5 each

Shit, looks like my Lovely USAF will play out it's Little Brother syndrome and follow suit as well.

ACUs are one weight.

Camo makes a huge difference in Afghan mountains when you're walking through enemy territory or more than likely infiltrated at night and set up an ambush for daylight...sure the people that ride in vehicles really don't NEED it but we certainly did.  Our ANA and marine ETTs were way harder to spot than US guys.  The second any villager saw our guys, the best we could hope for is to be shot at from 6-800 meters or maybe the taliban didn't want to play.  When we were sneaky enough the dumb MFer with his AK would walk right into us.  They use spotters all over with handheld radios to keep all Taliban in the area informed of our position.  Our ANA wore BDUs....the taliban favor those aswell, the ETTs were woodland marpat.

Looking at the above pic, they appear to be made of the sasme material as lightweight BDUs.



I never understood the grey ACUs, why not just wear blaze orange?





 

Crye Precison developed MultiCam under an Army program.  The decision to go to UCP was unrelated to that (it was unrelated to reality, actually).

i like how they used mannequins to show off the uniforms, would it have been that hard for two soldiers to put them on.

Never happen.  The AF doesn't admit to mistakes; we'll be wearing ABUs for the next 15 years!

B_S