# Soldiers Could Go Reptilian with New Camo



## Crusader74 (Jun 5, 2012)

http://www.military.com/daily-news/...d-go-reptilian-with-new-camo.html?ESRC=dod.nl





This month, soldiers will begin testing a camouflage pattern that looks more like reptile scales than terrain as part of the field-trial portion of the Army’s camouflage improvement effort.

The start of the field evaluation comes five months after Army uniform officials announced the finalists that had emerged from the service’s exhaustive Phase IV Camouflage Improvement effort. A handful of vendors were awarded contracts to make camouflage-patterned material for uniforms and equipment. Ultimately, the winner’s pattern could end up replacing the Army’s embattled Universal Camouflage Pattern, known as UCP, which was adopted in 2004.

Last fall, Army uniform officials completed tests that involved 900 soldiers taking a digital picture survey of camouflage patterns under consideration. The computerized survey had soldiers look at dozens of camouflage patterns and then rate their concealment performance.


Four commercial patterns emerged. One of the companies chosen is Crye Precision LLC of Brooklyn, N.Y. Crye invented MultiCam, a camouflage pattern that the Army chose in early 2010 to replace UCP in Afghanistan. ADS, Inc., teamed with Hyperstealth, Inc., of Virginia Beach, Va., and Brookwood Companies, Inc of New York, N.Y., were also chosen.
One of more unusual patterns chosen is made by Kryptek, Inc. of Fairbanks, Alaska. It consists of interlocking shapes that resemble a reptile’s scales, a look that has proven highly effective despite its non-traditional appearance, uniform officials say.

In March, the Army decided to drop the fifth finalist -- which was a government pattern developed at U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center in Natick, Mass. The pattern was too similar to one of the industry submissions, which scored higher in the initial evaluation, uniform officials said.


Natick officials would not release details of its pattern, but experts say it was likely from the Scorpion effort, a pattern developed by Crye Precision that’s very similar to MultiCam. So far Crye officials have refused to reveal details about the pattern selected for Army evaluation.
Each finalist submitted a family of camouflage patterns for desert, woodland, and transitional along with a single coordinated pattern for individual equipment such as body armor and load-bearing gear so soldiers wouldn’t have to change their kit from one environment to the next. In the past, special-operations units such as the 75th Ranger Regiment have worn equipment in a shade known as “Ranger green.” And Marines chose coyote brown to wear with its woodland and desert camo uniforms.
Soldiers will begin to evaluate each of the patterns sometime in June in field trials that could take up to nine months to complete, said Debi Dawson, a spokesman for Program Executive Office Soldier. The Army will then conduct a cost-benefit analysis to determine whether to adopt a new camouflage pattern.


The Army launched the camouflage effort in response to a June 2009 inquiry by Pennsylvania's Democratic Rep. John Murtha, who was then chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. Murtha pushed the service to look for a better camouflage pattern after receiving complaints from sergeants about the UCP's poor performance in the warzone.
Murtha died in 2010, but his directive prompted the Army to launch a multi-phase camouflage effort. Many patterns were evaluated in Afghanistan, but MultiCam was the clear winner for the country’s multi-terrain environment. Interestingly enough, MultiCam outperformed UCP in two previous Natick studies, one completed in 2009 and another in 2006.


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## fox1371 (Jun 5, 2012)

With the majority of troops supposedly being pulled in 2014...is there really a need for new camo?


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## CDG (Jun 5, 2012)

For fuck's sake.  This is the best way to utilize defense funding right now?  The military's always gotta be fucking with some shit just to look busy.


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## Etype (Jun 5, 2012)

Multicam is good enough- give me a piston upper and a surefire mini can.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 5, 2012)

What the hell, we're getting ANOTHER uniform pattern??  Weren't we going to multicam?  And what was wrong with BDU/DCU?


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## Brill (Jun 5, 2012)

That's so 47 seconds ago.


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## Etype (Jun 5, 2012)

ACUs are the best thing to happen to Ranger/SUT students in leadership positions.


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## pardus (Jun 5, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> What the hell, we're getting ANOTHER uniform pattern?? Weren't we going to multicam? And what was wrong with BDU/DCU?


 

My understanding was that Congress forced te Army to adopt multicm for a'stan and the Army spat the dummy and therefore refused to adopt it as it's replacement for ACU. IIRC they earmarked something like 10 million for the new cam development.
Criminally absurd and wasteful, someone needs to be held to the fire for this.
We have a perfectly good cam with multicam. A large part of the Army has been outfitted with it already.  No reason not to keep it.


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## DA SWO (Jun 6, 2012)

pardus said:


> My understanding was that Congress forced te Army to adopt multicm for a'stan and the Army spat the dummy and therefore refused to adopt it as it's replacement for ACU. IIRC they earmarked something like 10 million for the new cam development.
> Criminally absurd and wasteful, someone needs to be held to the fire for this.
> We have a perfectly good cam with multicam. A large part of the Army has been outfitted with it already. No reason not to keep it.


Army funding helped create MC, which is why I don't understand the opposition to MC.


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## surgicalcric (Jun 6, 2012)

SOWT said:


> Army funding helped create MC, which is why I don't understand the opposition to MC.


 
Because NATICK can't take credit for MC. I agree with Pardus (scary thought there) that someone (Senior Army personnel who had their hands in the project) need to be held accountable for the entire UCP debacle as well as the misappropriation of money for this current venture. I am also believe the people who decided to go to the ASU while we are at war should have been fired for at a minimum being out of touch with what the Army needed...


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## TheSiatonist (Jun 6, 2012)

That Kryptek pattern is called "Nomad" and uses 3D Tech...







> *Science and shadows*
> Kryptek's example of 3-D layering features two levels: shading in the background and sharp random shapes in the foreground.
> A light-reflecting gradient helps creates a three-dimensional illusion that blends into natural terrain.


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## surgicalcric (Jun 6, 2012)

Maybe I will be proven wrong but I don't foresee a pattern like Kryptek being chosen due to its appearance in garrison.


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## Marauder06 (Jun 6, 2012)

This is ridiculous.  I can't believe the amount of time and money that has been wasted on Army uniforms since I've been in, especially the beret and the ACUs.  The SECDEF should issue a directive that there will be ONE common ground uniform throughout the services.  If it needs to be done in different patterns to allow for terrain (BDU/DCU model) fine.  But ONE expenditure for R&D, ONE uniform put through the acquisition process, and ONE uniform in the supply system.


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## DA SWO (Jun 6, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> This is ridiculous. I can't believe the amount of time and money that has been wasted on Army uniforms since I've been in, especially the beret and the ACUs. The SECDEF should issue a directive that there will be ONE common ground uniform throughout the services. If it needs to be done in different patterns to allow for terrain (BDU/DCU model) fine. But ONE expenditure for R&D, ONE uniform put through the acquisition process, and ONE uniform in the supply system.


Marines would never go for it.


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## SkrewzLoose (Jun 6, 2012)

We are getting new Dress White, Dress Blues, (optional) foul weather NWU trousers, name tapes for the sleeve pocket on our NWU parkas, (Chiefs and Os) get new Khakis, riggers belts, some rates have already been authorized/are wearing Guacamoles...


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## Marauder06 (Jun 8, 2012)

SOWT said:


> Marines would never go for it.


 
They went for BDUs (eventually) and if I were SECDEF, they'd be in CGU whether they wanted to or not. In fact, it would probably look a lot like MARPAT, without the parochial insignia.


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## surgicalcric (Jun 8, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> ...they'd be in CGU ...without the parochial insignia.


 
And a lighter more breathable material...


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## DA SWO (Jun 8, 2012)

Marauder06 said:


> They went for BDUs (eventually) and if I were SECDEF, they'd be in CGU whether they wanted to or not. In fact, it would probably look a lot like MARPAT, without the parochial insignia.


 
Correct, they wore BDU's; then went into MAPAT so they would look different.  That started the whole fashion show,


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## Marauder06 (Jun 8, 2012)

SOWT said:


> Correct, they wore BDU's; then went into MAPAT so they would look different. That started the whole fashion show,


 
I agree.  Whomever was SECDEF at that time should never have allowed that to happen.


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## pardus (Jun 8, 2012)

SOWT said:


> Correct, they wore BDU's; then went into MAPAT so they would look different. That started the whole fashion show,


 
I really lay the blame for that on the Army, they got a case of small dick syndrome which affects normal thought processes and we ended up with ACU as a result. Everyone followed suit with retard patterns. I don't have a problem with services having a different pattern uniform, I do see very valid reasons for one combat pattern for all though. 




surgicalcric said:


> And a lighter more breathable material...


 
The brits had an excellent jungle pattern uniform in the 80's - 90's that was a light weight cotton material, it dried very rapidly and was extraordinarily comfortable to wear. A lot of guys wore it even in cold temps for its drying properties. Great idea. I love my SAS windproof smock, best fighting jacket ever made.


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## 104TN (Jun 8, 2012)

You'll all be humping murdered out mech armor in 5 years anyway. Spanx will be the new ACU.


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## pardus (Jun 9, 2012)

rick said:


> You'll all being humping murdered out mech armor in 5 years anyway. Spanx will be the new ACU.


 
Does anyone understand this post? lol


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## policemedic (Jun 9, 2012)

surgicalcric said:


> Maybe I will be proven wrong but I don't foresee a pattern like Kryptek being chosen due to its appearance in garrison.


 
You're probably right.

Here's what I think.  Too many people on post wear ACUs/BDUs/combat pajamas.  If you're not conducting honest-to-God military training, then wear a class B uniform.  Infantry and other combat arms folks wear fatigues for a reason; clerks and other such personnel that work in offices or police cars and what not should be in Bs.


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## pardus (Jun 9, 2012)

policemedic said:


> Here's what I think. Too many people on post wear ACUs/BDUs/combat pajamas. If you're not conducting honest-to-God military training, then wear a class B uniform. Infantry and other combat arms folks wear fatigues for a reason; clerks and other such personnel that work in offices or police cars and what not should be in Bs.


 
During basic and AIT we graduated in ACUs, the reason given was that we are at war and during such a time combat fatigues will be worn as a reminder etc...


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## AWP (Jun 9, 2012)

pardus said:


> During basic and AIT we graduated in ACUs, the reason given was that we are at war and during such a time combat fatigues will be worn as a reminder etc...



I just threw up a little.

And Rick's post is genius.


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## ThunderHorse (Jun 9, 2012)

Well they got rid of Greens so a decent service uniform is out the window...we're now on dress blues lite for class B.


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## Brill (Jun 9, 2012)

pardus said:


> During basic and AIT we graduated in ACUs, the reason given was that we are at war and during such a time combat fatigues will be worn as a reminder etc...


 
Was our famous Cav CPT Meps the speaker at your grad?


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## pardus (Jun 9, 2012)

lindy said:


> Was our famous Cav CPT Meps the speaker at your grad?


 
Basic, no idea who spoke. AIT, no.


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