Updated In an article posted less than an hour ago by Stars and Stripes, Sergeant Major of the Army Raymond F Chandler III was quoted as telling troops from the 4th Combat Brigade Team, 10th Mountain Division, at Forward Operating Base Gamberi that the new Army camouflage would be a recolored variant similar to Crye’s MultiCam verifying what SSD has known for months.
…Chandler also told troops that the new Army combat uniforms will likely be phased in starting eight to nine months from now. The uniform will feature different colors for different environments, but the pattern will be very similar to the mottled “multicam” currently used in Afghanistan under the designation “Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern.”
I told you guys months ago that his office was leaking like a sieve regarding the selection for the US Army’s Camouflage Improvement Effort. He isn’t even keeping it as a secret anymore but this is by no means the way it was meant to be announced. In fact, the Army still has not officially announced any of the finalists. Reading, you can see that the Stars and Stripes reporter didn’t even know what he had. He was writing a story about tattoos and I think the SMA just said it without a thought.
Now, if the Secretary of the Army’s office would just validate what the SMA put out, we could all just drop the charade and move on. I know the supply chain would breathe a collective sigh of relief. Additionally, an official announcement would also bring some closure to a program that started almost three years ago.
I’d like to remind everyone that the competition was very close and the selection wasn’t based on popularity but rather science. While I haven’t seen the test report yet, I do know that this was the most comprehensive camouflage program in history with over 120,000 data points collected. In addition to Crye Precision, the US Army also evaluated families of camouflage patterns consisting of Transitional, Woodland and Arid patterns along with an optional pattern for OCIE from ADS Inc partnered with Guy Cramer, Brookwood and Kryptek.
Thanks WBY!
This article has been updated to add details about the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort.
Tags: Crye Precision
WOW! Kinda feel bad for Guy and US4CES… Any idea when the public will get an official look at the new family?
yeah. US4CES patter is pretty neat. But in the long run, I think Multicam makes more sense since it’s already in the system
The selected pattern is not multicam. It is a variant of multicam from Crye that VERY limited people have laid eyes on.
Congrats to Crye although it was pretty clear in my mind they were going to get it anyways.
Something finally leaked, now if we could just get pictures! Kryptek, US4CES, and Brookwood all offered scientifically proven patterns. They did good, and their patterns will probably do great in sales.
Yeah now we need some pictures, none have been released right?
My concern is those different colors are the acu colors….go from digital crap to general multicam/acu crap if they choose the same colors
I doubt Crye used ACU colors
First off, as Crye’s submissions were desert, woodland, and a transitional that looked like MultiCam, and they placed in the top four, rest assured none of the patterns were colored like UCP (Universal Camouflage Pattern).
Second, the patterns are going to be printed on fabric and sewn into ACU’s (Army Combat Uniform), just like OCP is currently.
Third, virtually all designs for fabric are now designed digitally, especially camouflage.
Fourth, there are more far Jon’s on here than I had originally thought. I guess it’s time to switch back to my old username…
Just glad to hear a semi official announcement finally. Just wonder how this is all gonna play out with the Congressional mandates.
Figured it would turn into a popularity contest vs. the best performing pattern for the sake of our men and womens lives. It is quite preposterous.
You do realize that the four finalists scored almost exactly the same during testing, right?
I think it was more of a cost saving choice, with all the PPE and other gear in multicam already. I was definitely hoping it would be US4CES. I’d like to see the results if the improvement effort.
Im just glad I dont have several hundred dollars in useless gear. Now the 300 or so in ACU doesnt feel great either.
What I figured. Multicam was already in the inventory, and the corresponding coyote brown kit won’t need to be DX’d.
Yeah…. The Army doesn’t issue any OCIE in coyote…
Actually, in USSOCOM they do issue coyote brown kit.
Wait, will OCP (multicam) be good to mix with the new pattern, seeing as how the new one is supposed to be “superior”?
I really wanted US4CES to win. Kind of upset
I would love to see the three versions of Multicam that needed to be provided as ADS did.
I wanted US4CES too because the one uniform solution for each terrain makes no sense and I think Multicam falls under that same guise as UCP.
Um, did you miss the part where the SMA said there would still be environment specific patterns? That was the purpose of the whole program. MC or it’s variant for this will be the transitional pattern (US4CES had one too), aka the garrison uniform designed to work decent in a variety of environments. AO specific uniforms will be issued as needed.
“Similar to” OCP, didn’t say we were adopting MC.
Oh I forgot. It seems we have to be the same as our British allies.
Is that a problem? I mean it’s not like we have fought four wars back to back or something…
I dont think most of you guys are following the details of this whole process correctly. The pattern IS NOT multicam. It is modified. Coyote Brown gear – as used by the USMC- was determined to be much less functional than a transitional pattern for all equipment. There is not one form of Multicam that is for all environments (as I understand it). There will be multiple patterns to match all different environments tested – just as the other patterns had.
Rick
Thank you for keeping up with the program Rick
You might want to go read again. Coyote proved no less or more functional than matching or transitional ppe. It only slightly proved less functional under NIR and SWIR; that is why they made a new variation of coyote called tan 499. Tan 499 proved slightly better in the NIR and SWIR but less effective in the visual than standard coyote. Neither varied much from matching or transitional ppe.
You are correct about different variants for other environments.
Wasn’t it stated by those who saw Crye’s new Transitional submission as being imperceivable to Multicam?
Now that the cat is sort of out of the bag, who is going to stop all of the soldiers and others from spending money on new Multicam items, if it is different? They should know that there are many guys out there who are going to jump all over this.
I would also like to see the study results. Guy Cramer has made a good case for their submission. I see that others are saying that it is just to fight the results, but, if his information is correct, he has a very valid point. The study was to determine which submission worked the best for our military. If the other submissions are the best, then why is their any worry? Is the delay because that, once again, the best performing submission was not chosen? If there is really not much of a performance variation, I guess the smartest thing would be to make the best financial decision. The Army trying to buy the rights to Multicam just makes it more confusing unless the Multicam rights include the new transitional, or all variants.
If joes want to waste money joes will waste money.
Some kid who buys a quality piece of kit that he can justify to his chain of command isn’t likely gonna have an issue.
Some Fuel Handler who outfits himself head to toe in Condor Multicam gear as his COD character ? He’s gonna have a problem.
The amount of money that PFCs waste on misc. crap (gear, lowered Scions or lifted 4x4s) isn’t germane to this discussion.
I would like to see the winning patterns and the scientific proof that these are the best patterns for the men and women on the ground. I can’t wait to see the IR shots of a recolored ‘multicam’ beating out US4CES.
I see it more being a political show and going with a company out of New York – personally. Also a cost factor involved with items out in the field already. Likely a reason the Army put something out about getting the rights to Multicam – they may use it as is for a transitional or arid pattern instead of tossing it out and going with three different variations.
My 2 cents.
I think digital multicam looks better
http://www.nationstates.net/nation=virana/detail=factbook/id=32937
The United Republic of Emmeria of Virana?
Super upset, wanted US4CES! Looks like the Army bought the Crye fanboy crapola.
Why were all these people pulling for US4CES? Clearly Brookwood’s camo pattern was superior!
…Just kidding.
Seriously, I was pulling for the ADS entry too. But, I think the Achilles heal of that family of patterns was the kit. It was too light: it didn’t seem to match arid terrain or woodland. Just a guess at what went wrong, because otherwise I thought US4CES matched desert/woodland environments perfectly.
All I know is Crye has put out a combat proven pattern with Multicam. I know these new patterns are not Multicam, but I expect they will work very well. I’m more pissed about the no tattoos below the knee and elbows thing mentioned in the article.
How does the legislation for a common combat uniform come into play? Since it’s a Crye pattern can the Army claim they already had the pattern and just changed the color? Since all phase IV patterns were developed prior to the legislation are they good to go? Or does a modification of the winner need to take place? In other words does OCP become the transitional removing the transitional from Crye’s submission while keeping the woodland and arid patterns to fall inline with the legislation?
Anyone have pics they can leak?
Also, wasn’t there supposed to be boot news as well?
Now a lot of people seem to be taking this to mean that Multicam is being selected as one pattern for all environments.
My understanding is that this is not about one camouflage for all areas, but four camouflages, one for woodland, one for transitional, and one for desert, plus one for equipment.
Crye submitted a family of patterns for this, and it just so happens that the one for transitional and equipment is similar to – and probably identical to – Multicam. But this does not mean that we are picking one pattern – we’re picking three or four, and multicam is going to be one of them.
The Army is selecting a family of patterns. It would seem that this family was developed by Crye Precision based on the Comments of SMA Chandler.
Spend some time reading our archives. We’ve gone over and over this.
As long as the SMA stops bitching about tattoos…
I was pulling for US4CES, but anything is better than what we’ve got right now…well maybe not brookwood.
YESS!
So if you personal favorite family of camouflage didn’t win it is because of a vast conspiracy or gross incompetence and the results of the extensive testing were “fixed”? Really?
I’m simply glad we appear to have a winner that will better protect the soldier. Frankly, any one of the patterns would have been an improvement over UCP.
I also don’t think Crye winning is a bad thing since it is true that the Brits and Aussies (and some others) have already adopted variants of Multicam.
Likewise the US Army (and maybe DoD by 2018?) will be adopting a family of patterns similar to what soldiers are comfortable with because of combat experience with the on going OCP fielding.
It’s all good in my book.
Funny how everyone is so quick to pass judgement when no one has even seen the Crye patterns yet…
I agree but why the secrecy compared to the other patterns. The winner is the one that did now show their patterns?
What I meant is that obviously their patterns were know during the test periods but why couldn’t their patterns be disseminated to their public for viewing?
Seeing as how the decision to release images was up to the companies and not the Army, ask Crye. I’d bet it has something to do with them not wanting intellectual property being stolen or getting hit up by airsofting fanboys asking for stuff in the new patterns.
I believe they all knew who won. Despite statements to the contrary I kind of felt there was some politicking happening on the part or those behind US4CES from as far back as the fake PowerPoint that went around last year. I don’t blame them for trying to prove their pattern is better.
On Crye’s part why release until it’s time to.
ADS was not behind that PPT. It was created on a govt computer.
[…] Big news confirmed by Soldier Systems; Crye Precision has won the Army's latest camouflage selection. SMA Chandler Lets The Cat Out Of The Bag ? Crye Family Of Camouflage Patterns For US Army – Soldier … […]
I guess in hindsight this article in 2012 knew what the selection was.
http://www.military.com/daily-news/2012/06/28/army-to-recommend-multicam-for-entire-force.html
Looks like they did to me… So if all this was known over a year ago, it makes me think that there has been some bad blood behind the scenes. I’m really hoping this doesn’t turn into an Airforce-style procurement flub-up with a billion protests. And don’t say they covered all their bases to prevent that…
It wasn’t known for over a year
That article is a real problem for a lot of people involved.
was pulling for US4CES too, but I have a ton of multicam stuff and it does the job. I hope they improved the IR performance, and I eagerly await the color schemes for woodland.
No conspiracy here, the government could’ve closed there eyes and picked a family that would improve the situation. Can’t wait for all the ACU garbage to clear off of ebay and the Crye stuff to cycle in.
Interesting, thanks for sharing.
Well, this is intriguing indeed, so many questions. Really can’t wait to see the documentation, along with the results of another similar program that started this spring…
So does this mean that SS can start publishing some of those articles he has been promising us regarding the data behind the testing of these patterns?? That would be awesome! 🙂
Its just nice to finally hear something.
I can’t wait to see Marines wearing Crye cammies.
Not to be too skeptical, but could the negotiation with CRYE to try and buy the licence to multicam (to avoid paying a licence fee) have had any influence on this decision? (give us license, we’ll look favorably on your proposals going forwards).
failing that, they’ve (CRYE) just come up with the better design.. in which case, more power to them!
The Army has already negotiated a license for the new patterns and it’s a steal. I still don’t know what they are up to with the OCP license.
Maybe another example of one hand not speaking to the other?
you’d think, or at least hope, they’ve linked those two conversations up for their own interests!
i was hoping kryptek or crye so either way its good NOW TIME TO WAIT AND ADD THAT WOODLAND VARIANT TO MY CAMO COLLECTION !!!
Long live Murthacam…!
Murtha had nothing to do with multicam. You’re thinking of UCP.
Rep Murtha lit the fire under the Army that led to OCP.
Kryptek would have been cool, the contract gave them funding to develop new patterns on the high end. The pub and money probably did wonders for them financially and they’re probably selling their kit to hunters everywhere!
On this…I was rooting for something good. Now, can we get the same fabric and cut of blouse as the MCCUU, gosh I must be asking too much.
[…] wins the new Camo competition SMA Chandler Lets The Cat Out Of The Bag ? Crye Family Of Camouflage Patterns For US Army – Soldier … Although I really liked the Kryptek and US4CES choices, giving the rest of .mil what probably […]
WTF is this.
who’da thnk that a fanboy gun forum would have skewed and distorted information, presented with all the charm of an ADHD adolescent male??
So multicam-like pattern with coyote tan body armor? That reminds me of the marines. I like that.
Isn’t the Brookwood family “mottled” as well? He did say “similar” and not the same the right? So I am assuming SSD is using his prior leaked information to come to that conclusion. I am also hoping that the results really showed that Crye was the best way to go based on the data and not the fact that they are already in discussions with Crye as a customer. I also hope that it wasn’t a toss-up simply because the results were so close and that they didn’t say well, US4CES looks a wee bit too similar to MARPAT so who’s next? Surely, the Army wouldn’t do that, especially, with this talk of the branches needing a common uniform.
I will finish my rant by saying I am truly glad that our Armed Forces as a whole will have at it’s disposal, possibly the best performing camo patterns to date.
SSD – So can we expect to only see these patterns in pictures and for sale on eBay at 4 times the price like AOR1/2?
I thought I recall some small pics of the new Crye transition pattern in Guy Cramer’s reports about whey US4CES worked so well… or maybe it was jsut his description.
SSD, it’s time for a review of what we know about this entrant, with whatever grainy pics are out there…
MIck.
Well, the Army Times now wrote an article on it.
http://www.armytimes.com/article/20130923/NEWS07/309230030/New-camouflage-way-SMA-says
Well good for them. I see that they are being good little toadies and saying what the SMA’s office wants them to.
I was so looking forward to eventually wearing this.
http://www.invictustacticalreview.com/blog/ads-inc-us-army-camo-pattern-trials-and-guy-cramer-shot-show-2013/
Like many a Sergeant’s Major ramblings, SMA Chandler’s speech left me speechless, confused and with a vague sense of guilt based entirely on theoretical transgressions. My tats and my camo pattern are my lifeblood. I dig Crye kit so much I had half my johnson tattooed multicam, with “Blend In….4 the Ladies” artfully scribed in tan 499. Apparently now I need to provide a description of this to my CO, who is female. This will be tough, but i’m concerned most that I’ve got two strikes against me and I don’t want to hurt my career: one, the clearly sexist comment and two, unless I’m coming out of the cold surf or 72 hrs in a winter hide at Black Rapids testing DARPA’s latest “ultralight sleep system”, it’s all below the knee.
>I spoke too Greg Thompson some years ago, and he told me that Crye had and was able to tweak the colours of the MC Pattern. I’ve sen the browner version, but was waiting fro the Greener version. I figure that this is what they’re talking about. A greener version of the MC Pattern.
This is a biiiig stretch, but there was a Navy SEAL On NCIS Tuesday night that wore a pattern that looked like a digital variant of multicam.