The Thailand expat forum for Travel, Lifestyle and Fun.

Bangyai

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

The British Army is introducing a new camouflage design for all its soldiers after tests showed that it made them less likely to be seen by the enemy.



By Jasper Copping
Published: 7:30AM GMT 20 Dec 2009

The new uniform has a combination of seven colours which help troops to merge into the background Photo: DAVID ROSE


The new uniform has a combination of seven colours which help troops to merge into the background. Commanders hope the move – the biggest change to the uniform for more than 40 years – will help to reduce casualties in Afghanistan.
The design will replace both the "desert" camouflage used on operations in the country as well as the darker coloured, "temperate" – or "woodland" – camouflage worn by forces stationed in Europe and elsewhere.


The uniform has been designed to give cover to soldiers operating in all types of terrain, across the globe. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) hope this will be of particular help in Afghanistan, where soldiers can find themselves, within a matter of minutes, crossing from arid desert to the lush vegetation of the "Green Zone" along the Helmand River, where their lighter coloured camouflage – designed for use in Iraq – does not offer the best cover. Indeed, when operating in the greener areas, which turn brown in the winter when the rains come, many troops revert to the "woodland", European camouflage.
British forces operating in Afghanistan reached a grim milestone earlier this month, with 100 servicemen killed this year and the new uniform has been designed to give them a new advantage in their fight with the Taliban.
The design is derived from a camouflage called MultiCam, which was developed by an American company, Crye Precision, in association with the US Army. However, it was not ultimately adopted by Washington for its main uniform, although some units may still use it in the future. It is now available commercially and is used by sports gunmen.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has paid the US company an undisclosed sum for use of the new design and has secured intellectual property rights over the MTP camouflage to prevent others from using it without permission.
It comprises a total of seven colours, although the exact colours are not released by the MoD in order to make it harder to reproduce. The kit is to be produced by a Northern Irish company, but will be made in China.
Lt Col Toby Evans, who has been involved in the new design, said: "The strength of this is that sometimes it looks very green, Sometimes it looks very brown. It seems to work well wherever you are. Because of the variety of colours, there is always something to pick out which is quite close to the background."
The design process, which has taken six months and cost £250,000, involved a combination of computer analysis, where the colours from a variety of Afghan landscapes were studied, performance tests and also a "focus group" session, involving servicemen.
The MoD said the tests showed that soldiers wearing the new design were less likely to be spotted than those dressed in other camouflage and when they were, it took three times longer to be picked out than those in the next best performing pattern.
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."
Lt Col Gary Jackson, who was involved in the process, said: "I think Richard Holmes (the historian) said, 'there's something of the dandy in all military people'."
Other designs filtered out included some that bore resemblance to uniforms of the Second World War Waffen SS units.
The final design retains the same distinctive "splash" patterns as previous British uniforms.
As well as the clothes, new helmets, body armour and webbing – belts with pouches – will also be introduced in the new design which will be used by the Royal Marines and the RAF Regiment. More formal, "service dress" will remain the same.
Lance Cpl Alex Wood, from 40 Commando Royal Marines who served in Afghanistan last year and will be returning in March when the new uniform will be first used, said: "I think it will be quite useful. In the Green Zone, we were using the green camouflage tops and desert bottoms, to get the right match."
Bob Ainsworth, the Defence Secretary, said: “This new camouflage will help our troops blend into different environments in Helmand Province to stay hidden from the Taliban. Patrols take our troops through the Green Zone, scrubland, desert and arid stony environments and it is crucial that the camouflage can work across all of them.
“We are striving to provide our brave troops with the very best personal kit and equipment and the new Multi-Terrain Pattern is just one example of how we are supporting our troops on the Afghanistan frontline.”

.........................

Quiet interesting to see the difference various types of camouflage make. Just a bit tricky when it snows and they have to cross a white patch.

Airportwo

Blank picture?

Ningi

not really a new Uniform, what is beings hown is a newpattern of combat suit,miltary working dress,The word uniform when used in the military refers to Number 1 and 2 Service Dress, after all if a mechanic gets a new set of overalls you dont say he has got a new suit do you

dirtydog

2 days living in woodland and everything is just dirt colored anyway.

Sdigit

Getting the troops some helicopter transport might be a better way of avoiding enemy bullets.

taxexile

then why is he wearing a blue hat?

dirtydog

^If he wasn't you wouldn't be able to see him.

astasinim

Looks more like a marines green beret to me.

sabang

You'll be able to buy knock-offs on the streets of Hong Kong in no time. Soon after the street traders in Bangkok will be selling them, soon after that they'll be available in the bazaars of Afghanistan. At a fraction of the price the MoD pays for them.

My arse. The MoD would save taxpayers money buying a few thousand to start with, then leave it a few months and get my Mrs to go and buy the rest in Pratunam or Wanchai.

__________________
what the dormouse said

thehighlander959

The research done for this new combat clothing has been quite extensive. The equipment that was used before either woodland (European theatre) or Desert (Middle East) was neither suitable or practical for Afghanistan.
I was involved in tests in the UK and abroad of Gore-tex water proof clothing after the Falklands War.I might say a very good piece of equipment but not so good at night as a good IWS (night site to the uninitiated) could pick you out up to 200 metres out. The kevlar helmet and body armour is as good as anyones in service.

The problem with the helicopters is a completely different issue as this was a procurement f*ck up by the MOD.
Just a point this is a multi national force and is a NATO committment. Helicopter support can also be provided by our partners although some our partners dont like working in the battle field zone, they prefer to build bridges and do humanitarian work.
Its seems some partners in NATO are more equal than others. Heavy fighting US,UK,Canada and France, others humanitarian operations.
As an engineering team combat commander I was always taught that you need Toms on the ground to retain ground, air support was always a luxury, and would not always be available.

__________________
"Don,t f*ck with the baldies*

sabang

Par for the course, don't forget the non- Nato Aussie's have lost a few in Ghan too.
Bravo.

ItsRobsLife

Daily Mail? Telegraph? Seems like a good news story with a negative spin in the headline... not good enough for the Yanks, made by the Chinks...

Good news for all those serving.

Marmite the Dog

The French army has a certain je ne sais qios...

baldrick

^ your hardon is showing , MtD

thehighlander959

Yep Sabang my error fogot about Australia not part of NATO but have put a good shift in there in Afghanistan.

geminibkk

LMFAO

Norton

Then purchased and worn by Taliban to confuse the guys at security checkpoints.

Chairman Mao

Yes, but the americans have to test their weapons on someone.

gjbkk

which one is Butterfly?

English Noodles

That's what I thought too, I also thought it was the OP that had made the title up to have some sort of dig at the Brits, but no it's the real headline from the paper. Why are they such negative fucks?