New Usmc Jungle Uniform

https://www.military.com/daily-news...et-new-tropical-uniform-time-summer-heat.html


Good morning all,

At one time - and still - information for personal use can be gleaned from large organizations like the USMC.

Article about their new jungle uniform for "hot and humid" climates.

Note that this new uniform will be treated with permeth

The article has link to the Army's new uniform. No pockets on shirts.

Using printer's ink instead on the sewed on patches, badges can also speed up drying time.

..........

Learning from above still requires tailoring - no pun intended ! - to one's anticipated environment and realistic situations. Fabric that's 57% nylon - Nylon melts in fires - not necessarily the best selection if planning for an evac from a forest fire.

 

I'm curious as how they define hot & humid environment. For example Hawaii is merely on the edge of being tropical and definitely not in tropical rainforest climate. And that still haven't count for camouflage pattern. The way I see it this new uniform is merely about spending taxpayer $. If they really need uniform for hot & humid environment why not bring in back the old Vietnam era uniform and using modern manufacturing process, or use modern proprietary (Commercial off The Shelf) fabric which will reduce the overall R&D cost.

 

Good morning Varuna,

You are 100% correct.

When I was reading the above article, I started thinking of Israel's IDF with their uniforms' shiny buttons - not matt finish like US - and not so great belt. Meanwhile, they win their campaigns and control the areas they want to control.

The US military has so many post - Vietnam era uniforms, a needed book is something like Jane's All the Nation's BDUs. (Believe there is a book like this.)

Yes, indeed, the commercial OTS fabric is best and available. I was a NATO contractor in the former Yugoslavia and remember the young troops telling me that when appropriate for their situation, they buy their uniforms and personal kit from the US catalog companies.

When knowing what to look for, some of the US contractor personnel still wear Vietnam era ripstop nylon uniforms - and Levi's jeans (and their firearms are better/best).

In today's military, "hot and humid" means the air conditioning isn't working.

Foot Note: Some of my loadout extra clothes in my large Incident Commander's wheeled duffel bag are uniforms from China's PLA and PAP - excellent; much natural fabric, and some new, my current size, Vietnam jungle fatigues sans boonie hat (hard hat needed).

 

I'm willing to bet that after they get the materials & construction, there will be another project for tropical / jungle camouflage pattern

 

LOL !

Good morning Varuna,

Of course in development must be a new camo pattern for the newly issued tropical / jungle uniform.

From experience and as a reader of history, as soon as the newest tropical / jungle uniforms are issued and all the tags and merit badges are sewed on, these combatants will be deployed north of 60 degrees north lat. Like that song: "It happens evvverrrry time".

The big talk in my veterans' meetings is that soon enough the Defense contractors will tell of a method to make the uniform fabric able to reduce the soldier's body heat "signature" so as to evade enemy sensing devices.

Meanwhile, the FEBA is a morgue and the rest of the battlefield is a cemetery.

The main - Repeat: MAIN - enemy of the US is domestic.

 

SAAB already ahead on that subject. And it really worked as advertised. All it need is the proper camouflage pattern (they weren't in jungle camouflage during the promotional / sales demo). Although TBH I don't see much reason for using such advance camouflage system for personnel operating in jungle environment. The jungle itself already provide natural camouflage better than any remote sensing available today.

 

Good afternoon Varuna,

The remote sensing is tied to the 1% rule. This rule got public attention here when former US Vice President Dick Cheney discussed it when addressing how to deal with enemy terrorist groups. If there is a 1% chance the terrorists are a threat to US interests, they must be destroyed.

The rule originated by and since perfected by the Chinese. If there is a 1% chance, the area, with overlap, gets sprayed.

 

I've spent many a day and night sweating my balls of in the Kahuku's and East Range and more hot jungles around the world than I can remember. Not sure about the Marines new uniform. Couldn't see much in the picture and any chemical in the fabric will just wash out. I like no pockets on the Army's new uniform. With everyone wearing plate carriers or chest rigs pockets just rub raw spots. For tropical environments many operators still choose the old Vietnam tiger stripe pattern and some are choosing the multicam tropic pattern, which works with there scorpion pattern (Gov. Multicam) equipment. The lighter fabric is always welcome in the tropics unless you patrol the highlands at night. That can get a bit cool after 105 to 110 F of the days.
I'll wait and see what operators decide to wear.



The Kahuku's in 83' wearing the old NYCO's which in the tropics was like wearing a winter coat. LOL!

Dale

 

Better run through the jungle... ♫♪♫♪♫♪

 

Good morning Dale,

Sidebar; An ARVN tiger camo boonie hat is a hard to get collector's item. Expensive.

Like that song, " and here is the best part, you've got a head start, if ......";

The advanced-level militaries are already fielding the new organizations like China's "fish in the river", Israel's "Depth Corps", ... The new uniform could be whatever the soldier wants. If, eg, someone chills easily due to Yellow Fever, malaria, kala azar, and wears a jacket in the tropics, it's a personal decision. Ditto: haircuts, hats, helmets, boots,

No one can ever guess the role Grandma Jones plays in the org.

Nowadays there are so many contractors - Eugene Hasenfuss of SAT, captured wearing jeans - the "Hot Shots" forest fire fighters's catalogs are now an important "Field Manual".

......

The picture of the soldier; What? no poncho for the monsoons ?!

 

TBH I kinda doubt about Multicam® Tropic,



For operating within Tropical Savanna climate it look good or in places where the landscape is dominated by paddy field (example : Vietnam, Philippines, and most places within Malayan peninsula). However in million years old jungle / rainforest environment (insular regions of Sumatra, Borneo, Celebes, New Guinea) I have my doubt with the pattern (too greenish and too bushy)

Tiger Stripe™ do look good for daylight, however it doesn't seem to be all weather capable (black tend to glow under IR)

IMO So far for serious jungle camouflage (all weather) I notice 2 pattern that suitable, they are ;

A-TACS FG Camo™



Kryptek Mandrake

Good point there, most people who never operating in actual tropical environment tend to underestimate how cold it can be at higher elevation. And for some tourist it had cost them their lives. For example at the nearest volcano the temperature could get as low as -5°C / 23°F at 6000 feet of elevation sometime with hailstorm as bonus.

 

I think the tropical multicam will have preference with some US forces due to operations in Central and South America as well as limited use in SE Asia. I know some specialty manufacturers are producing pieces in this for Spec Ops and others are starting. Multicam became popular in a similar fashion. I'm not sure how it will wear in tropical Africa and I can't think of really anyplace else that the now issued scorpion pattern won't work.

I personally like the Kryptek Mandrake pattern but I don't care for the ATACS cammo. I have heard some snipers are using it for their base for ghillies but it doesn't seem to have caught on in the US.

On a personal note: I really like the multicam alpine overwhites for winter hunting in my area. They blend really well and predators can't seem to see it.

The old VN tigerstripes might get an updating with charcoal grays replacing the old black areas. But that's just a rumor.

Dale

 

Good morning Varuna,

Interesting info re black and IR. Appreciate this. Thank you.

For my personal interest in international relations, I took a tour of inland Bandung, Java, Indonesia where the non-aligned nations held the famous conference (non-aligned but PRC represented there by Cho En Lai). At night I was cold.

 

The black colored tiger stripe serve as "countershading" thus it require certain level of contrast, and reducing the contrast could render the countershading ineffective. But that is just my theory, I've never trial any NIR optic at human figure with charcoal grey colour element

Bandung stand on top of an extinct caldera lake (former volcano caldera). Furthermore it is stand on higher elevation, but not high enough to get freezing cold. The coldest spot on Java could be found on this mountain

 

Real nice picture, Varuna.