The US Army's Failed Combat Camouflage Uniform

$5B CAMO SNAFU -- Erik German, The Daily

Army ditches failed combat uniform that put a target on grunts’ backs for 8 years.

NATICK, Mass. — The Army is changing clothes.

Over the next year, America’s largest fighting force is swapping its camouflage pattern. The move is a quiet admission that the last uniform — a pixelated design that debuted in 2004 at a cost of $5 billion — was a colossal mistake.

Soldiers have roundly criticized the gray-green uniform for standing out almost everywhere it’s been worn. Industry insiders have called the financial mess surrounding the pattern a “fiasco.”

As Army researchers work furiously on a newer, better camouflage, it’s natural to ask what went wrong and how they’ll avoid the same missteps this time around. In a candid interview with The Daily, several of those researchers said Army brass interfered in the selection process during the last round, letting looks and politics get in the way of science.

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My Comment: Another distressing read on how some programs are handled by the military.

Army Drops Universal Camouflage

Army Drops Universal Camouflage After Spending Billions -- Aol Defense

After eight years and billions of dollars, the Army has given up on an ambitious effort to clothe its soldiers in a "universal camouflage pattern." The grey uniform, widely issued and widely loathed, was supposed to blend in equally well in all environments, from desert sand to green forest to city streets. It just didn't. Now the Army's going back to the old, obvious approach of having different designs for different places.

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My Comment:I am sure that R&D will continue .... but the original ambitious goals have been scaled back.

Three New Camouflage Patterns For The U.S. Army

Department of Defense

Army Sets Out To Buy Three New Camouflage Patterns -- CNN

(CNN) -- Eight years after troops in Afghanistan were outfitted with new uniforms, the Army is shopping for a different camouflage for its fatigues and equipment.

The move to a different uniform comes after soldiers, many of them redeploying to Afghanistan, began voicing their criticism in the summer of 2009 of the "universal" camouflage pattern, introduced in 2004 and meant to be used in all types of battle environments.

"They were saying that they didn't think the color selection was very effective for the terrain in Afghanistan," says Col. Bill Cole, the project manager for Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment. "Afghanistan's a really diverse country in geographical terms. There are lots of sandy desert areas, but it also has mountainous areas that you would see up in the Alps. It has green irrigated fields that look like Iowa in the summer. It's a very diverse environment and soldiers would often traverse these different areas in one patrol."

The one-size-fits-all approach of the universal pattern wasn't working.

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My Comment: The Atlantic has an excellent and must read report on the importance of camouflage for our military. That link is here.

Camouflage Today

U.S. Army Spc. Jesus B. Fernandez of San Jose, Calif., an assistant team leader with 3rd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, crosses a stream during a unit visit to Angla Kala village in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The two soldiers are wearing the MultiCam camouflage uniforms now being adopted. U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Gary A. Witte, 300th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment

Camouflage Today. An Ancient Art Moves Into The 21st Century -- Defense Media Network

Camouflage has been used in ground combat throughout history, but primarily by hunters called to temporary military duty rather than formalized armies, against whom they often were pitted. The earliest forms – such as covering a combatant with dirt, mud, or bits of foliage – are still in use, even by the most technologically advanced militaries. But, as with all other elements of warfare, camouflage also has been and will be heavily affected by new materials and science.

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My Comment: We hear about stealth helicopters, planes, and boats .... this is about making soldiers and making them as "invisible" as possible.

Spot The Soldiers In Camouflage In the Video

My Comment: Impressive

U.S. Navy Shows Off Their New Camouflaged Uniforms

The Navy’s Divergent Vision for New Cammies -- Kitup.Military.com

Thanks to our good buddies at Soldier Systems Daily for tipping us off to the latest news on the Navy’s search for a camo uniform that’s actually…well…camouflaged.

Kit Up! made a few calls yesterday and had an interview with the Navy’s program manager for the Navy Working Uniform Type II and III and a top gear buyer for the service’s Expeditionary Programs office. Be sure to read the story we posted on Military.com this morning to get the overall view of the program and where it’s going.

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My Comment: For the US Navy, this is long overdue. But I still think that what the US Army is doing is incredible.