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Latest Info On US Army Transition To Scorpion Camouflage Including Accessory Colors and Schedules

This is the latest info shared with industry during a recent briefing. Everything is subject to change but most of it jives with what I have heard elsewhere.

-The Army selected a new camouflage pattern o/a 5 May 2014 as previously reported here on SSD.

-There is still no formal announcement from Army leadership but PEO Soldier and Natick are working very closely with industry to make this happen.

-Official, Berry Compliant, Scorpion W2 fabric is being printed. It is Scorpion W2 and not the W1 variant that everyone keeps searching for on the internet. I do not have photos of the pattern yet but a friend has seen it at the printers and describes it as similar to MultiCam but with very distinct differences. Attention Chinese printers attempting to flood the market with knockoff Scorpion fabric; you’re printing the wrong pattern!

-The ACU will continue to be the style of uniform. It will just have a new paint job but also incorporate modified sleeve pockets with zippers from the Army Combat Shirt. No other changes have been announced.

-Boots and gloves will be solid Coyote 498. No definitive word yet on t-shirts.

-Pulls such as loop and hook, thread, zippers and so on, will be Tan 499 as is currently used with MultiCam OCP. I still have no word on Scorpion printed webbing or hook and loop.

UPDATE

Tan 499 Chip from ITW Nexus Coyote Color Chip from ITW Nexus

These are Tan 499 (left) and Coyote (right) color chips from ITW which we first shared in 2010 when the Army had just adopted OCP and wanted to let you know what was going on.

-Currently, a tentative mandatory possession date for Scorpion clothing bag items is 3 years from the decision date. However, mandatory wearout/possession dates traditionally have fallen on Sep 30/Oct 1 to coincide with the fiscal year. No word yet on the wearout date for UCP or MultiCam/OCP. Despite assertions to the contrary by some, DLA continues to purchase items in MultiCam/OCP and the Army is fully aware that OCIE items in a modified UCP (Coyote overdye) as well as the MultiCam variant of OCP will remain in service for years to come.

-The goal is for clothing bag items in the new Scorpion W2 pattern to be available in 128 military clothing stores by May 1, 2015 and in clothing bag issues to new accessions starting Oct 1, 2015 at the 4 major Basic Training Central Issue Facilities. This is different than previous transitions to new patterns which saw issue to new accessions and their Drill Sergeants first with slightly delayed availability to the rest of the force.

-The Army is working closely with DLA Troop Support to only procure fill in sizes of ACUs in UCP. They have to continue to purchase them so long as they continue to issue them to new accessions in the clothing bag. This is one reason that making Scorpion W2 available first to the existing force through the Clothing Sales Stores makes little sense. The sooner they transition Basic Trainees to Scorpion, the sooner they can stop purchasing UCP. This plan would waste taxpayer dollars by purchasing unneeded uniforms that do not perform.

-The Army anticipates that at least 1/2 of its Soldiers will possess Scorpion ACUs within the first year. They are also anticipating a run on the clothing sales stores and are working hard to create a sufficient stock.

-Planners have prioritized clothing and equipment into 4 tiers. Tier 1 is everything that goes into the clothing bag and these are the main priority as the Army wants these available at Clothing Sales by May 1, 2015. Tier 2 includes all combat clothing items that have been purchased through RFI. Tier 3 and 4 products such as sleeping bags are considered less critical items.

-A large amount of money is planned for the transition (I am told up to $370 million) starting 1Q FY 2015. The Army plans to acquire Scorpion print equipment in one of two ways. First, they plan to modify current DLA Troop Support contracts that have approximately 2 or more option years remaining. On other items, Natick will issue new contracts, especially for those items that have traditional long lead times through DLA Troop Support.

-The primary means of transitioning from MultiCam OCP to Scorpion for TA50 will be through RFI/Deployer Equipment Bundles. MultiCam and UCP kit will remain in some parts of the force for some time to come. Yes, expect some mixing of patterns with OCIE for the near term. It’s going to happen. Hopefully, it won’t be uniform coats and trousers.

-The Army has currently contracted 5 printers with each concentrating on a different type of material such as NYCO, Cordura, FR, etc. Already, 1,500 to 2,000 yards of NYCO and Cordura have been printed. That is but a drop in the bucket. The long pole in this tent is getting the materials to pass the shading process and then to get different printers to learn how to do more than one substrate (type of material). Each type of material or substrate absorbs dye differently and the adoption of multiple patterns by DoD over the past 10 years has taught us that this process isn’t easy for companies to perfect. Specialists at Natick must examine fabric samples from each run and ensure that they meet quality standards for color and print. The Army desires to add additional printers but the bench is only so deep and the their missteps regarding a camouflage path forward and subsequent curtailing of purchases of combat clothing and equipment have sent the supply chain into disarray. Several years ago, shading process issues with USAF Digital Tigerstripe almost ran one company out of business. Some companies may not recover.

-There is no word on whether Scorpion W2 will be an unrestricted pattern meaning it could be printed and sold commercially. Based on some legal issues, Scorpion W2 may well not be available for use by manufacturers for commercial use or for outside of program buys. If it is not, no commercial products in Scorpion W2 will be available. The Army will have to decide whether it will allow Soldiers to use commercial products such as day packs in MultiCam. The patterns are similar in nature and use similar colors but they are not exact.

-Air Force deployers: You get your clothing and equipment from the Army’s stocks. You’ll get what the Army is issuing, when it issues it. This may be MultiCam OCP or Scorpion OCP.

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120 Responses to “Latest Info On US Army Transition To Scorpion Camouflage Including Accessory Colors and Schedules”

  1. John says:

    Any word on a potential ALARACT so I don’t have to go back to UCPs after I redeploy and can just wear serviceable OCPs until the transition?

  2. AJ says:

    Thanks for keeping the AF in the loop. I don’t need something to hide me in the brush but OCP hides oil/grease/hydraulic fluid stains a hell of a lot better than this abomination we wear in garrison.

    • J. says:

      But without my ABUs, how am I supposed to ramin hidden on the runway or against the DFAC wall? >.>

      • Dan says:

        Can’t we just ditch ABU’s entirely? Or will the Air Force continue its stupidity?

        • James says:

          I’ve already submitted the idea to adopt the Scorpian Camo’d ACU to the IDEA board (or whatever they call it now) and it’s making it’s way through the chain. I’m interested to see what their explaination for denial will be.

          • Philip says:

            I did the same through the Airmen Powered by Innovation program last month — the response I got back was that that specific program “was not equipped to handle this issue”, BUT that my query did address something HQ/AF was aware of and/or currently working to resolve, and that it was forwarded through to the appropriate channels.

            But last I heard there were no plans to adopt Scorpion aside from issuing it to AEF deployers, and that ABU was going nowhere. Time will tell.

  3. Jason says:

    Will the new sleeve pockets still have the large swatches of hook and loop for patches or will they now become sew on? I pray that the velcro goes away and we go back to sew on!

    • Chad T says:

      -The ACU will continue to be the style of uniform. It will just have a new paint job but also incorporate modified sleeve pockets with zippers from the Army Combat Shirt. No other changes have been announced.

  4. HOLLYWOOD310 says:

    Finally, some dates! Soft dates… but, dates none the less. And color updates for boots and gloves!

  5. CAVstrong says:

    Three questions:
    1. What’s the difference between Coyote 498 and Tan 499?
    2. Perhaps I’m just reading the article wrong but at one point you say possession date is 3 years from decision date and then you say they want to have MCS stores stocked with new uniforms next year. I guess I just don’t understand this distinction.
    3. Any word on the M81 Woodland and 3CD tests?

    SSD as always thank you for the excellent coverage.

    • Haji says:

      Coyote brown 498 is several shades darker. Its an actual brown shade, where tan 499 is very definitely a tan shade.

    • Andy says:

      The mandatory possession date is the NLT date when everyone must be wearing it. They will make it available and begin issuing it prior to that date, they did the same thing when ACU rolled out.

    • SSD says:

      1. I’ve updated the story with your answer.

      2. Mandatory possession means you must it. Availability means you can have it.

      3. No additional info on the bookend tests.

      • CAVstrong says:

        Thank you the quick response. Again appreciate all of your coverage.

      • CAVstrong says:

        Follow Up…. I thought it was determined that Tan 499 worked the best with Multicam?

        • Explosive Hazard says:

          Yes, but for gloves and boots Coyote would work well and its inventory that could be shared with the Marine’s and Navy if need be.

        • SSD says:

          Just like Emmanuel Goldstien, it is no longer double plus good.

  6. Chad T says:

    Good work detective SSD. Shame on the Army that I have to come here to get info about what is going on instead of the CoC.

    Any word on the bookend patterns?

  7. Ray says:

    Like Chad said, thanks for the info. This is the ONLY place I come to get my info. My CoC is just as confused and curious as everyone else. Now all SSD needs to do now is get a pic of the Scorpion W2. I am pretty curious what it is going to look like.

  8. Haji says:

    So many questions, so few answers from The Powers. Thank God for SSD or there’d be hardly any info at all.

  9. Really!? says:

    I feel bad for those “high speed” CPTs and MAJs who keep asking how the hell senior NCOs are always one step ahead on the latest camo-intel. “I’m thinking, “Keep tryin, Sir”. I’ll tell everybody to check SSD, but you.”

  10. bulldog76 says:

    so no commercial stuff well thats gonna be interesting ……

    • Bert says:

      It doesn’t say that, it says we don’t know yet.

    • SSD says:

      No one is sure yet.

    • straps says:

      Pretty sure that’s gonna vary from command to command…

      A survey of DVIDSHub shows pictures of units outfitted like OCP/Multicam never existed, others outfitted using the “wear what works” rule.

  11. Max says:

    Thanks SSD for the update. Question I know you mention at the end of your article about AF deployers, any word on the AF as a whole adopting Scorpion and finally getting rid of Tigerstripe?

    • SSD says:

      No solid word. The party line is that they love Tigerstripe but the reality is that they’ve got a lot of stock in inventory at DLA. Deployers first. Baby steps.

  12. Mike says:

    SSD, thanks again for the hard work on keeping us updated.

    I was thinking about this transition the other day, and I would propose that a reasonable COA would be to just prohibit OCP FRACUs in garrison, but otherwise treat multicam OCP and scorpion OCP as the same. This would allow the issuance of existing multicam OCIE to non-deploying troops which would help hasten the transition away from UCP, and also allow Soldiers to wear their mutlicam FRACUs in training environments (thereby getting a little more wear and use out of them). This would also help us run down the existing stocks of multicam RFI OCIE and, again, get some more use out of them. Finally, this would ensure the same OCP pattern

    We already had a lot of mixing of patterns with the transition to UCP, but I think that with the similarities of multicam & scorprion that mixing them would be much more practical and palatable for garrison leadership then the old M81/UCP/3CD combinations we already accepted the last time around.

    Interesting news on the boot change; I did not expect it but I am pleased, the light tan boots were a bit too bright for a lot of reasons. It will be interesting to see what they do with the “ensemble” items e.g. name tapes, rank, etc. Specifically, whether or not multicam OCP examples will be authorized for wear (kind of how during the early days of the UCP transition in some cases the ensemble items from the BDUs were sewn on to Velcro and then used). Again, given the similarities of the two OCP patterns I would think treating them the same is the way to go and Soldiers such as myself that already have name/rank/US Army patches in multicam should be allowed to use them.

    We shall see….

    • Daniel says:

      The below ALARACT contains the ACU FRACU wear policy… I would imagine it would be the same for OCP once it is allowed CONUS. Why would we limit FRACUs to training or deployment to get “more” use when wearing them daily as well would get the most use from them? Especially sine a very large portion of the Army already has them?

      ALARACT 315/2011
      DTG: R 221919Z AUG 11
      UNCLASSIFIED//

      THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN SENT BY THE PENTAGON TELECOMMUNICATIONS
      CENTER ON BEHALF OF DA WASHINGTON DC//DAPE-HR//

      SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO WEAR THE UNIVERSAL CAMOUFLAGE
      PATTERNED (UCP) FLAME RESISTANT (FR) ARMY COMBAT UNIFORMS (ACU)
      (FR ACU) UPON REDEPLOYMENT.
      REF DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY MESSAGE,

      SUBJECT: ALARACT 093/2008,

      SUBJECT: ARMY POLICY FOR COMBAT UNIFORMS ISSUED AS
      ORGANIZATIONAL CLOTHING AND INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT (OCIE) TO
      DEPLOYERS.

      1. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO AUTHORIZE SOLDIERS TO WEAR
      UCP FR ACU’S UPON REDEPLOYMENT FOR DAY-TO-DAY GARRISON OPERATION
      AND FIELD USE.

      2. (U) REF PARA 3, AUTHORIZED SOLDIERS TO RETAIN UCP FR ACU’S
      UPON REDEPLOYMENT.

      3. DEPLOYED SOLDIERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED UCP FR ACU’S AS OCIE
      AND ARE PERMITTED TO RETAIN UCP FR ACU’S UPON REDEPLOYMENT.

      4. THE ARMY’S INTENT IS TO ALLOW SOLDIERS TO UTILIZE
      SERVICEABLE UCP FR ACU UNIFORMS (FR ACU’S AND UCP ACU’S PATTERN
      DESIGN ARE THE SAME).

      5. SOLDIERS ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED THE WEAR OF UCP FR ACU’S FOR
      ROUTINE GARRISON AND FIELD USE.

      6. DIRECT EXCHANGE IS NOT AUTHORIZED AND THE ARMY WILL NOT
      PROVIDE SUSTAINMENT OF FR ACU’S WORN UPON REDEPLOYMENT.

      7. HQDA POC FOR UNIFORM WEAR POLICY IS SGM JAMES A. MCGRUDER,
      JAMES.MCGRUDER@CONUS.ARMY.MIL , DSN 664-0665, (703) 604-0665.

      8. EXPIRATION DATE CANNOT BE DETERMINED.

      • Mike says:

        Personally I wouldn’t really care, but I don’t think the senior leadership will want the formation in UCP and Multicam AND Scorpion all at the same time. This way if FRACUs are limited to training we can still get some use out of Multicam, which is not currently authorized for wear anywhere outside OEF/limited deployments like the 173rd. Granted this would eliminate UCP ACUs from daily wear as they are authorized now as per the ALARACT but…do we really care about clinging to UCP any longer than necessary?

        • Mike says:

          …but hey if I turn around and next May I can break out my multicam FRACUs, I’d be perfectly happy 🙂

        • Stiggy says:

          I’m not sure where the word on the 173rd wearing OCP to the Baltics etc came from. Because we definitely aren’t….we’re in UCP.

      • SSGCMW says:

        I’ve never understood why the military has to make those messages in ALL CAPS… it would be so much easier on the eyes with regular capitalization.

        • Mike says:

          The ALARACT is using its command voice!

        • Steve says:

          Thise old teletype/TWX formatting traditions die hard. Or maybe some units that get an ALARACT are still using teletype hardware?

          • straps says:

            LoL it would cost a FORTUNE to keep a teletype network running in this day and age.

            I just happen to have been on a Mob tour when they took the last UCG-144s off-line, closed the “Message Center” and gave us this new thing called electronic mail.

      • HOLLYWOOD310 says:

        Yes, however, the new AR 670-1 states in chapter 4 para. 1. b. –

        “The fire resistant (FR) combat uniform in the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP) is designed as a combat uniform for use in a designated combat area of operation.”

        Considering they changed the name of Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern(OCP) to Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) I could see them saying, “It’s not the same pattern so, we can wear it now because its not the same pattern!”

  13. Mick says:

    -Boots and gloves will be solid Coyote 498. No definitive word yet on t-shirts.

    -Pulls such as loop and hook, thread, zippers and so on, will be Tan 499 as is currently used with MultiCam OCP. I still have no word on Scorpion printed webbing or hook and loop.

    Is it weird that they’re splitting the difference ike this? Two items Coyote 498, three items Tan 499… why not jsut do all of one or all of the other? Preferably the same color the USMC uses to simplify supply chains?

    Mick.

    • Bert says:

      The boots and gloves are coyote precisely because the (possibility of a) shared inventory. The pulls and zips will be tan 499 because (scorpion w2) OCP is still OCP, and the colorway used now is proven to work. This solution already meets your proclivities. Do we want darker zippers and velcro when the tan 499 stuff blends perfectly? Do we want off tan / off green boots when the USMC has proven the effectiveness of their brown boot? I can’t see a better way to do it other than splitting it down the middle like this.

    • Lcon says:

      Coyote is the official accessory color of the USMC, and they already issue boots and gloves in it. As to the zippers and Velcro. Since the Marine Utilities and added FROG is made to marine spec there Velcro and zippers won’t match the ACU in terms of size and material. But the Army’s existing Multicam ACU line does. Hence the split.

      • Mick says:

        You two gentlemen make a lot of sense!

        Thakns for the clarification.

      • MattF says:

        I was always under the impression that the official color for Marine Corps boots is ‘Mojave Olive’ not Coyote Brown?

        • Juggernaut74 says:

          Mojava Olive for USMC is correct.

          • Bert says:

            Are they not the same color?

            • Juggernaut74 says:

              I’ve seen it vary by brand. The rubber and nylon parts of the USMC boots tend to have more of a green tint while the raw hide leather just looks like what we would see as Coyote brown. Seem the same to me but on paper they is two different colors.

  14. Wake27 says:

    So just to be sure, boots will have to be Coyote once I start wearing Scorpion?

    • Stiggy says:

      Yes

      • Wake27 says:

        Dammit. I knew I shouldn’t have bought new ones…

        • Mick says:

          My oldest pair of ACU boots, for Iraq in 2005, are dirty enough and soiled enough I think they could pass for coyote…

          • Steve says:

            Right! Last month an e-8 was asking me why I couldn’t clean my old deployment boots, so I told him they were turning marine.

    • SSD says:

      Yes, the question is, will you be able to wear coyote boots with UCP?

  15. Will says:

    Any discussion about t-shirt color?

    • Juggernaut74 says:

      Brown, all undergarments (T-shirts, Gen III waffle tops, underwear) will be brown. I was told directly from the Army Clothing and Heraldry Office.

      • SSD says:

        Well, there you have it. Back to the 90s. Thanks!

        • Dokt says:

          So, will there be a transition time where tan undergarments, boots, etc. will be allowed with the new uniform? I can imagine a mess for those of us in the Guard/Reserve getting all of our shit replaced at the same time since we don’t receive a clothing allowance.

          • SSD says:

            That is a great question .

          • Nick the Brit says:

            When we went from BDU to ACU we wore brown t-shirts and the old black belts for about a year after. We also got patches and name tapes in OD. I can imagine they would have the same thing in place, probably phased out by the mandatory possession date.

            On a side note, my Joes make fun of how we were dressed back in 05, when we were in BDUs with DCU MOLLE gear, UCP vests with tan boots. Now it’s their turn!

      • Will says:

        Thanks, I need to find my old shirts now.

  16. Juggernaut74 says:

    I run an MCS for the Exchange and I was told about the roll out by the Army’s clothing services office a month or so ago. The undergarments (t-shirts, underwear) I was told is going to brown

  17. jjj0309 says:

    Chinese knock-off in 3.. 2.. 1..

  18. mouse says:

    Sorry for the e-mail you addressed all my question with this one post. I just hope they quickly get it done.

  19. Carlos says:

    Is it just me, or does anyone else suspect that Scorpion was chosen *before* the camo competition and that the subsequent testing of camo pattern families and the supposedly failed bid to buy out MultiCam was all a dog and pony show for Congress? Sort of like the doomed carbine competition that never had any chance of supplanting the M4A1 improvement plan.

    • Juggernaut74 says:

      Probably. During a visit at my Military Clothing store by the Army Clothing and Heraldry Office they told me exaclty what the new PT uniform is going to look like…

      2 weeks later Army Times had voting on 4 PT uniforms.. the winner was exactly what was described to me. Decided even befor you “had a say”

    • Mike says:

      I don’t know…I think the big difference is that it is difficult to design a rifle that demonstrably produces results that greatly exceed the M4 enough to warrant changing the general issue rifle throughout the service. Whereas, in the case of camo, a 12 year old with a box of crayolas could probably design a camo pattern that would demonstrably exceed the capabilities of UCP enough to warrant re-issue to the whole service.

      But I get what you are saying, and it does seem suspect…

  20. LC says:

    Gee, this could be the best idea yet.

    Coyote brown so that we can simplify logistics with the marine corps, who has coyote brown things.

    We should have used coyote brown a long time ago. better than bright tan and even better than the light suede boots.

    • Juggernaut74 says:

      You are right, that is why the Army considered using a solid color for all the gear. In the end they decided to make everything this Scorpion2 as they are calling it now. So no matter where you deploy and if you are wearing Jungle or Arid pattern camo your gear will be scorpion2.

  21. Y.T. says:

    Does this mean I can get all my brown t-shirts from the BDU days back from my Dad?

  22. samuel colon says:

    i have a question, i read an article in the army times titled : “promtion points cut for making sergeant”, but it was not the article that caught my attention but color varient on the UCP that was used for the picture it has green, black and a biege in it. did some one give somthing away without realizing it or is it the army teasing poeple on the down low. http:// http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140630/CAREERS02/306300034/promotion-points-cut-making-sergeant…if any is curious , will those colors be used in the re-coloring or re-dying of the ucps?

  23. Doc_robalt says:

    I need to know should I be getting multicam gear or coyote!?!!? I need to know lol

    • Juggernaut74 says:

      Do not get anything but black yet. As of now the PAM670-1 says for bags and hydration, must be black or matching camo. Hydration(camelbak) can be an appropriate field color(coyote, Foliage Green) if local command allows.

      Basically I wouldn’t jump ahead until there is an ALARACT out about this. The only constant is Black so when in doubt buy black.

      • SSD says:

        Well considering the only authorized uniform in garrison is in the UCP, you couldn’t wear a MultiCam pack anyway.

  24. Tech says:

    SSD,

    Asking for my own clarification because I’m not sure I understand what I read about The plan for OCIE during the transition. While new stuff is being produced is the plan to cover down on remaining needs with old UCP rucksacks, FLCs, IOTVs and et cetera that have been dyed the new accessory color? That’s what I understand from the article.

    • SSD says:

      Yes. It’s going to take years to replace all of that crap.

      • Tech says:

        Ha! Inventive. I hope that it completely re colors the gear, but I fear that probably we’ll just look like we’re running around with UCP equipment that’s been drug through red clay and never washed.

  25. Badjujuu says:

    In regards to printing the fabric….. I hope that there will be better technology and quality control than when printing UCP. Seems that each time I wash new set of ACUs the pants come out lighter than the top. After couple of washes the distinction is there and it looks like shit.

    • SSD says:

      That is astoundingly random. Somehow they have made sure that every pair of trousers you own is from an inferior run of UCP NYCO and every coat from a different, yet the same lot of superior UCP NYCO. That’s gotta be a conspiracy. That, or you’re exaggerating.

      • badjujuu says:

        I’m not exaggerating, sometimes you can tell the difference when you open up a box of new uniforms that we receive from KYLOC and you can tell the slight color difference right then between top and bottoms. That’s before you wash it. It goes downhill from then.

  26. FlightDocF2 says:

    Hey SSD any word on A2CU’s we will see the color change last? any chance we could be going back to one piece flight suits?

    • SSD says:

      Great question. I know the Army and DLA have way too many ICVC suits but I’m not sure on the A2CU. Don’t hold your breath on one piece suits, In fact, they are currently running a program to combine the ICVC and A2CU and the overage of ICVCs in UCP is an issue.

  27. WagenCAV says:

    One question about this COA still jumps out at me:

    Why is this considered a viable option IAW the NDAA2014, but the PHIV winner was not?

    Scorpion, in whatever version W1, W2, desert, etc, only every existed as a test pattern and not an approved issue pattern prior to the enactment of the NDAA. The PHIV patterns from all four companies all existed as test patterns prior to the NDAA as well.

    Since no one at this point really disputes that Crye won the PHIV camo trials, why weren’t their submissions the camo the Army chose to go with?

    It is because the transitional PHIV was Multicam, and the Army is really bent out of shape over the .93% increase in cost for printing fees?

    I see Scorpion W2 as costing only less than 1% less than Multicam, at best. And the upfront costs to the Army will negate any cost savings, as they have to allow industry to catch up and figure out how to print Scorpion. That translates into lots of dollars as they perfect that process. But at the end of the day, since the patterns are essentially the same, as far as color-way and layering are concerned, then the price to print them will ultimately be about the same, less the .93% fee to Crye. Seems like too many dollars and time spent just to save a few cents down the road.

    At the send of the day, Multicam simply costs about 20% more to print that UCP. It costs what it costs because it’s a much more complicated process to produce it. Therefore it seems like Scorpion W2 is going to ultimately cost the Army 19% more to produce over UCP. That 1% savings will disappear over the next year or so as yard upon yard of fabric falls short of inspection worthiness, and has to be redone.

    Then there will be the issue of pants and tops not matching (We don’t actually believe we won’t relive those incidents do we?), name tapes and patches not being available in the same timeframe as uniforms (although the OCP patches will really be the same), patrol caps in only a few sizes (I can imagine all the SGMs losing their shit over guys with MC Patrol Caps with Scorpion tops/bottoms), etc.

    Anyway I rant: But why is Scorpion in compliance and the PHIV winner wasn’t?

    • SSD says:

      That is an excellent question and one of the many that PEO Soldier won’t answer. Transparency and accountability are concepts lost on the current crop of “acquisition professionals” running that organization.

      • b_a says:

        What I also wonder is how extensively this new pattern has been tested for its efficency.

        • SSD says:

          Once again, radio silence from PEO. But then again, you don’t have to explain your actions if you never make an announcement. B

    • Explosive Hazard says:

      I have been asking this exact same question since the news broke. It doesn’t make any sense because like you said Scorpion was never an issued pattern, just a test pattern that existed before NDAA 14, and because of this it is no different than ANY of the PIV submissions. Hell, Scorpion was a PIV submission! However, of all the patterns in PIV only one of them had been issued prior to NDAA 14 and that was MultiCam. I don’t think Scorpion complies with NDAA and if it does I want to know how and why it does more so. Additionally, the Army has yet to make the official announcement. Just a very quiet dissemination of information.

      • WagenCAV says:

        I’m just guessing at this point, but I think the lack of official announcement is simply an attempt to get enough gear and clothing produced to prep for the inevitable run on MCSS’s worldwide. They (the illustrious council of the top brass) simply want thousands of stock items on hand before they proclaim, to the world, the tremendous effort and brilliance of their “new” pattern. Once it’s announced they know every Soldier is gonna have his head on a swivel and snatch up as much as his greedy hands and wallet can support.

  28. Craig says:

    Why do none of these new camo uniforms have Velcro color matched patterns?
    I know they make them ( have seen MC Velcro on various packs ect,) so what is the problem?

    Nothing like a camo uniform with big swatches of non-camo Velcro pieces. Seems counter productive to me.

  29. Joe Nobody says:

    SSD… You said, “-Official, Berry Compliant, Scorpion W2 fabric is being printed. It is Scorpion W2 and not the W1 variant that everyone keeps searching for on the internet. I do not have photos of the pattern yet but a friend has seen it at the printers and describes it as similar to MultiCam but with very distinct differences. Attention Chinese printers attempting to flood the market with knockoff Scorpion fabric; you’re printing the wrong pattern!”

    One of the rumors going around in my neck of the woods is that Scorpion W2 is “salmon colored”. The source of this rumor claims that his information is fact. Can you ask you friend if the pattern is pink?

  30. Chris says:

    SSD… It states that it should be in the clothing and sales by hopefully MAY 2015, but is there any more info coming out PEO??? Usually they are pretty up front about this stuff, because with the boots enforcement alot of soliders are wondering if they need to but new boots if its going to be couple years or if the wear out date for the UCP will be quick and they can just get coyote colored ones and just deal witht he basic issued boots for a few months.