SureFire

Coming Soon to a Digger Near You – Australian MultiCam Camouflage Uniform

Sources indicate that the Australian Army has decided to issue an ‘Australian MultiCam Camouflage Uniform’ (AMCU) as a replacement for both the legacy Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU) as well as the recently fielded Australian Multicam Pattern (AMP) developed by Crye Precision. The new AMCU will use the AMP print screens but with the more traditional DPP/DPCU colors. We do not have any photographs yet but the current cut of AMP uniform can be seen below.

Australian Soldier 360

Below is the Disruptive Pattern Combat Uniform pattern which was developed in the early 80s with its unique colors for use in Australia.

DPCU

This compromise appears to be more about branding and Australian identity than effectiveness, although testing has apparently been completed. It will join the new blue tinged RAAF version of AMP called the General Purpose Uniform as specialist color variants of a MultiCam based pattern.

No word yet on an official announcement or date of issue.

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41 Responses to “Coming Soon to a Digger Near You – Australian MultiCam Camouflage Uniform”

  1. Arlen Watkins says:

    The new RAAF uniform’s nothing but a horrendous blue version of Multicam, and a waste of money. The DPCU’s issued to them work fine as a working uniform. You don’t even need a new pattern to distinguish army from air force. Asides from the patch on their left breast that says “Air Force” and the RAAF patches on their left shoulder, RAAFies role their sleeves up and wear baseball caps, army don’t.

    • Tarquin says:

      Besides, camouflage is not about recognition as a military force, but rather a practical uniform for blending with ones environment in times of conflict. If they wanted us RAAFies to have a distinguishing working dress, why not bring back solid blue coloured working dress, even if that means a new cut, like a solid blue uniform but with DPCU cut.

  2. threeseven says:

    Yeah sweet, now Auscam gear won’t match properly and neither will Multicam. Just use Multicam with little koalas hidden in the pattern or something.

    This is going to be so awful, I can just feel it…

    • Dev says:

      Have you seen CrossFire’s DG-6 Ausnice pack?

      I’d say MultiCam / AusMultiCam with AusCam matches alright.

      • threeseven says:

        Funny you mention that, I actually HATE the mismatched Multicam webbing on the DG-6, I think it looks terrible.

        • BM says:

          Agreed that is the most horrible combination known to man.

          PLATATAC now have woven DPC webbing.

          • Dev says:

            Really? Which product(s)?

            • Sparrow51 says:

              Their 8-Point harness, the new ALICE Pack, SMAC Plate Carrier, some newer pouches, etc.

              • Dev says:

                Interesting. The new ALICE pack however specifically states that the AusCam variants will only ship with solid coloured webtape.

                Thanks for the heads up though. Next step, AusCam-patterned pile…

                • Sparrow51 says:

                  I just got my pack on Wednesday. The webtape is definitely in DPC. Only the ALICE frame straps and on the DPC version are solid khaki in colour.

          • Ryan says:

            The problem with Platatac woven webbing is that they can’t match the DPC. I looks pink in parts haha.

  3. David says:

    Glad to see the Army has so much money to waste on pointless uniforms, just like the RAAF.

  4. Ryan says:

    Eh, we have been told multicam is coming, multicam is coming, for years. We have not even upgraded from MCBAS armor in DPDU for a large part of the Army. If we cant afford eagle marine armor, or TBAS for troops, how are they going to fund an entire new uniform hahaha

  5. Von Dench says:

    Oh wow, I can now feel special, without being Special Forces!

  6. Peter Kelly says:

    I am amazed at how the RAN people I see in the street have a camouflage uniform. What for? Where do they hide?

    In my day, we were forbidden to wear cam uniforms. Probably because we were in the Infantry and it might have saved lives.

  7. Matt says:

    Look people really fail to understand, its called progression, people say the military are wasting money and all that, but the chances are, none of you are an expert in the principles of equipping an army with a uniform. The actual style of our NIR uniforms are outdated, this is a good opportunity to modernise the army’s uniform pattern and style, anyone here tried to gain easy access to an NIR uniform’s pockets under the TBAS system?? Not the most convenient thing. Also, there are times where the DPCU pattern lacks the ability to blend in with the surroundings, considering it was based around photographs of northern parts of Australia, this new system will be great and everyone who doesn’t agree, can bugger off unless you have some form of operational experience to counter my point

    • Dev says:

      I agree, it seems like MultiCam actually outperforms AusCam in most parts of Australia itself.

    • David says:

      You do know that the current Multicams being issued come in two styles don’t you? The normal ‘coat’ and an under-armour shirt. Do you realise as well that there is not enough TBAS to equip everyone with it in Australia? There are heaps of units out there that have no access to ANY form of BA, never mind TBAS (that comes in Mulitcam now). This is why units need to buy weight vests to simulate the BA in the PES.

      Do you have ‘operational experience’? Having worn ‘greens’ and DPCU(since they were brought in) I dare say I have SOME knowledge of what I am talking about. I also DO have ‘operational’ experience.

      No one pattern is suitable for all terrains, hence why Crye have multiple colours. I just dislike having uniforms bought for looks/branding.

  8. Matt says:

    And you people forget that there will be no mix and match of patterns, the uniform and helmet covers will change, but the current rig being TBAS is tan, so it will suit almost any pattern

    • Ryan says:

      Tier 3 (largest version and support only) is Tan. Tier 2 and 1 are Multicam. Manufacturer is ADA.

      So the guys who go beyond the wire will only ever wear Tier 2,1 which means multicam.

  9. Trav says:

    To all concerned,
    I deployed with a member from DMO who has developed and commissioned this new uniform. Trust me when I say, this will be a good and functional uniform. It caters for the Army’s needs, fits far better than our current uniform and there will be both male and female cuts available.
    Wast of money? No, over the last 10 years of conflict, the ADF has had to evolve far quicker and with it the need to evolve our R&D through DMO, DSTO and soldier feedback. The DPCU pattern will look like the crye cam, with an additional colour.
    Implementation will occur form April next year.
    I do agree, the proposed RAAF cams look disgraceful and are a waste of money. Why on earth do they need a sky blue DPCU?

  10. Anonymous says:

    That is standard multicam in the top picture.
    The same mistake is on the real Australian Army website.
    http://www.strikehold.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/AMP-features.jpg
    That is real AMP.

    • SSD says:

      I posted to demonstrate the cut of the uniform. At this point MultiCam or AMP, it doesn’t matter, the colors are a changin’…

  11. Alpha Ten says:

    I don’t see why we need to “dress to impress”, DPCU has worked in our terrain for its whole service life (with exceptions being DPDU and DPNU) and is a representation of us. Why do we need to follow other countries when the pattern develop for us not only works but is like our face and quite frankly, we don’t need botox. I don’t feel that this change is justified because, in the area I live in, multicrap sticks out like a sore thumb. Yes, it may work in certain areas but we need to think of our pattern as a tool to protect us in our enviroment without fail. We don’t dress so other countries think we look the part, we dress so that when we need to fight on our soil, spill our blood, we are perfectly adapted for the fight.

  12. JC says:

    So basically we are ditching our homeland camouflage for Multicam, our RAAF DPCU’s for Blue Multicam and spending millions for nothing?

    • Harry says:

      Before making comments about costs, maybe you need to know the facts so you don’t look silly by making uninformed comments.
      The RAAF getting it’s own uniform saves money as they no longer have to buy DPCU’s from the Army. (messed up system I know, but that’s how it works)
      It would be like me buying X number of uniforms a year off you and only needing 70% of them, why wouldn’t I get my own uniform and make what i need and not waste money buying extras…..

      however not sure why the army is changing there uniform

    • Dev says:

      I wouldn’t say it’s for nothing, the transition has been gradual and inevitable. The guys deployed to Afghanistan has been wearing them for a while now.

      Blue MultiCam, however…

  13. pv says:

    what will the navy do now? they’ve only just changed to the bunny rabbit pattern!

  14. Bob says:

    I have seen the 2 patterns they were deciding on. Basically take the colour set of the modern DPCU (not the old as you have displayed) and put it into multicam patterns. Then get the background larger patterns and shape them like the hearts and bunnies in DPCU but now bigger and fading into each other as the back ground.

    It looked great up close, but there was no contrast. Everything faded into everything and at 30 meters it started to blur, no disruption what so ever.

    I will say that the tech they have put into the fabric is incredible. Diggers will be pleased with that, at least

  15. Bill says:

    The RAAF need it because they are the best, half the Army want to come over to the RAAF and the other half are Liars lol

  16. Dev says:

    To be honest, i’m just really glad they kept the hook / loop to a minimum.

  17. Jack mehoff says:

    I wonder who owns what shares in the company that will make the uniform?
    I know selectors have their fingers in the pie, I remember a Gres capt who owns a business that makes trailer parts and he was one of the selectors to approve the contract for the landmark trailers (for the 6×6 rovers) and guess what his business made a profit from it!!

    I do hope the uniform is usable for the grunts as the old DPCU was adulterated by pen pushers in Canberra who get the pockets caught on desk cnrs and had a change of design while stuffing the people on the ground with stupied access to pockets that caused items to drop out. I pray that the Army can have real educated people that won’t stuff it up again by learning past issues.

  18. Strike-Hold! says:

    SSD – let me get this straight:

    The Aussie MoD paid Crye a few million dollars to adapt the standard multi-terrain MultiCam pattern shapes to look a little bit more “Australian” – the result being AMP (Australian MultiCam Pattern) – and to also design a new combat uniform to go with it.

    But now the Aussies have decided that they want to retain the pattern geometry of AMP, but revert back to the colours of DPCU?

    • Bob says:

      I enjoyed your article on modern camo patterns of the world. I will be looking forward to an article and gallery displaying the multicam family including these australian offshoots as well as the british, ect. if you ever write one.

    • Bob says:

      It is not just a new colour pallet for the AMPattern, the larger background shapes have been modified again.

  19. Ranch hand says:

    Nice looking pack, in any color!

  20. Bob says:

    As for uniforms design, there will be separate for pen pushers and uniforms for combat soldiers. So the diggers can take some pride in their roles and discern between staff and operators. A since the Australian army has bought the right to make and modify the pattern, the resurch is continuing even now after the pattern has been chosen. The tech in the dye and fabric is incredible, they just need to put some darker and lighter colours in the colour pallet, it just blends into its self too easily, even more so when it’s dirty.

    • David says:

      Would you like to try again on that? There are two types of shirts, on is for use under armour and the other is for barracks wear or whilst out patrolling without armour. It has nothing to do with your Corps, sorry should I call an Infantryman an ‘Operator’ now despite his job not changing for many, many years?

  21. jim says:

    KEYBOARD WARRIORS UNITE.IT’S TIME FOR AN ALL CAPS RAGE!!!!