B5 Systems

French Army Introduces New Combat Uniform 

The French Army recently revealed the Tenue Combat F3, a new FR combat uniform in Central European Camouflage. By 2019, all French Soldiers deployed overseas will be outfitted with this new FR uniform which is available in two weights. The summer version is an aramid and viscose FR mixture, which offers improved air permeability.

There are no seams along the tops of the shoulders.

They’ve incorporated zipper pulls and two-way zippers. Also, you can see close-ups of the fabric’s herringbone weave which they call a chevron ripstop.

The F3 uniform also incorporates slotted buttons.

Interestingly enough, I saw an example of a new French, 7-color camouflage pattern last year in Canada which looks to be influenced by MultiCam. They refer to it as Hot Climate Camouflage, which is not to be confused with the Tan-based Desert pattern. The garment seen here was created for use by elements of the French Special Operations Command and has a different cut and fabric than the F3 uniform.

Photos from the French Ministry of the Army, except the last three photos which were taken last year in Canada and depict a French SOF uniform.

30 Responses to “French Army Introduces New Combat Uniform ”

  1. Gerard says:

    Every uniform comes with a designated pocket to hold a white flag

    • Phil says:

      Still dude?

    • pat says:

      just to remind you
      OCT 2017 NIGER AMBUSH SUMMARY OF INVESTIGATION 10 May 2018
      Upon receipt of the initial report of troops in contact, (…) the SOCCE alerted the French through their liaison officer. Both partners responded immediately. (…) French Mirage aircraft conducted the first show of force approximately 47 minutes after receiving notification. (…) Despite being armed, the French aircraft were unable to engage because they could not identify U.S. troop locations and did not have communications with the team on the ground. Instead, they flew at low altitude in four separate shows of force that caused the enemy to retreat for cover, likely saving the lives of the surviving members of the USSOF Team. At approximately 1715, French forces from Task Force (TF) BARKHANE arrived in two helicopters and evacuated the surviving Soldiers.

  2. Mike says:

    The model already dropped their rifle for the photo.

  3. Agent_Orange says:

    The French shitposting jokes were old before they ever started. They’re no slouches when it comes to combat as the historical record shows.

    Quote: According to historian Niall Ferguson: “of the 125 major European wars fought since 1495, the French have participated in 50 – more than Austria (47) and England (43). Out of 168 battles fought since 387BC, they have won 109, lost 49 and drawn 10.”

    For a fairly comprehensive list see: https://www.militaryfactory.com/battles/french_military_victories.asp

    • GANDIS says:

      Alright frenchy, no ones calling them freedom fries anymore….

    • SamHill says:

      Everyone gets a participation award. Some country sends one boat into the gulf and gets to claim they participated in XXX…

    • Craig says:

      I didn’t think snowflakes lasted long on this shit hot website. Guess I was wrong.

  4. Robcollins says:

    I’d like to try a set of those for bowhunting, the fabric looks like it would take wax well.

    The French shitposting ignores the fact that the French helped start our country, but, enjoy your Freedom Fries, ignorant ingrates.

    • Jeff S says:

      The French MONARCHY helped start our country… and was promptly removed not many years later. What are they on, their fifth go around at this point?

      Modern France has nothing to do with the France of the American Revolution.

      • Robcollins says:

        “Modern France has nothing to do with the France of the American Revolution.”

        Except the people, descendants of the people who chopped heads. And the geography, and the culture. But, sure, you’re right… You could probably say the same about us continentals…

  5. Unimog says:

    Funny, I didn’t see one white flag or dropped rifle when we entered Iraq in 91. In fact, those “frenchy’s” from the 6th armored and the legion that stood with the 325th (82nd) were every bit our equal. The only white flag I remember seeing that day was the 2000 plus prisoners that surrendered. But of course I wouldn’t expect pog’s to know that.

    • Infantryman says:

      If u were armor, your a pog

      • SSD says:

        It’s POGUE!

        • Unimog says:

          I sense command staff combat arms :)… People Of Greater Use Elsewhere (POGUE), not just the average People Other than Grunts (POG) ..

          There’s a new article for you, the history of slang..

          And Infantryman 1/ 325 AIR doesn’t have armor.. Although 82nd did have the Sheridan deployed then.

    • GANDIS says:

      A decent argument until the old ad hominem reared it’s head. It’s the basest of logical fallacies.

      Seriously, it was a joke.

      He who takes offense when none is meant is a fool; he who takes offense when it is meant is a greater fool.

      • Craig says:

        Well Said. But mostly I’m saddened to see that in the fight against overly sensitive soyboi’s there are some casualties and fratricide.

      • Jester says:

        Well that pretty much shuts down unimog and his worship of all things French.

        Amazing how overly sensitive people are these days.

  6. Adun says:

    What I wanted to know, is why they still have that black/very dark brown section in this pattern, instead of replacing it with another brown, or something else more natural.

  7. cy says:

    Yes the time has come to stop bashing the French as cowards. Despite what people think the French fought bravely against the Germans in WWI and at the start of WWII. France had lost a good portion of their male population in the trenches and fields of WWI and could not field huge army. So France put its faith in defensive fortifications in the post WWI years. That didn’t pan out well for them. My dislike for France begins with Charles De Gaulle and his resentment of the allied nations after the war, and in particular the US. My other issue with France was the refusal to allow us to fly thru French air space to bomb Gaddafi during the Reagan years. Also their indiscriminate sales of weapons to all sort of bad actors. We cannot confuse political will and martial prowess when discussing the French and cowardice. I could go on but I”m not. We will always be linked to the French for without their help ( which they could not really afford to give) we may not have won our independence. Au revoir

    • Gerard says:

      France suffered hellacious casualties in WW1, my Grandfather fought beside French units in that war. I love France and its people, but the one who expressed that love the most eloquently was Alan Seager

  8. Jon Demler says:

    Where are the daisy dukes!? Or are those only for the French Foreign Legion?

  9. chris says:

    Back on track….like someone else asked, what’s with the large black sections of the pattern? I can remember back to ITB our Drill Sergeants cutting the black face paint out of the little packs and telling us that the black in the face paint and BDU’s wasn’t a naturally occurring color in the woods.

    Maybe I’m ignorant and I’m open to correction. Is this pattern effective in the home country or elsewhere and maybe just not applicable to Georgia pines?

    • james says:

      Well it’s CCE designed for central Europe as the name implies, It’s a contemporary of M81 woodland and is quite a bit more brown than it . Black does occur in nature,but stands out in some environments . CCE is a good pattern and like woodland fades into something even better. It is a touch more versatile than M81 and the larger pattern doesn’t fade into one color at distance quite as quickly..

    • Lose_Game says:

      The black is to create an illusion of shadow and depth. Does it still have a place in woodland camo design? I dunno, I’m not a designer. We’ll just have to wait until a country with a serious military develops and fields a proper woodland pattern to see.

      That new 7-color pattern looks looks like it would become a solid color at any appreciable distance, like Russian EMR.

      • james says:

        Pre2010 multticam does the same, blobs to a medium tan, 2010 OCP is a little better and scorpion w2 OCP better than that. The Hot Weather patern looks like it will blobs to a say green which isn’t a horrible thing..

        Not mad at black for the shadow, but the same can be done with dark browns.

        • james says:

          Sage green*

        • 37thInfantry says:

          2010 OCP was actual Multicam. Scorpion W-2 and the uniforms I was recently issued are just a watered down version of it that was tested around 2001 I believe. Multicam is more effective.

          • James says:

            The colors were changed and more vertical elements added to make the 2010 OCP, which became multticam afterwards. Pre2010 multticam is lighter and not quite as dense. The scorpion w2 is based on the earlier test patterns ,but it is darker/ greener and has larger and higher contrast color blocks than multticam. Pretty much have to have them side by side to really see how different they all are.