Almost three years to the day after we first wrote about this subject, the Royal Navy has announced the fielding of their new Royal Navy Personal Clothing System bersion of the No 4 Action Working Dress which has remained essentially unchanged since the Second World War. The first command to receive this update is the HMS Lancaster.
The uniform is dark blue and made from FR materials. While it is certainly a Navy working uniform, its shares some features with the PCS uniform worn by the Royal British Army, Royal Marines and Royal Air Force. For instance, rank is now worn on the chest. However, the Navy Ensign is proudly displayed on the left shoulder and trade badge on the right.
This Royal Navy graphic gives you a look at the differnces between the old and new uniforms and layers that make up the Royal Navy Personal Clothing System which include undergarments, shirt and trousers, fleece and shell.
Tags: Royal Navy
Is that a maternity smock in the second pic? Couldn’t they have found him a less tent-like shirt? Not his fault that he’s ginger. Cruel bastards.
I was also surprised by that, given England’s history of fine tailoring.
It’s because the PCS shirts were designed to be worn untucked, and have a lot more going on than the thinner and less clunky CS95 predecessor. Unfortunately, many senior type people were finding it hard to deal with having soldiers (or sailors) walking around with untucked shirts (not that it looked scruffy), so into the trousers they went. The last Garrison I was at prior to discharge had multiple regiments, and everyone had to wear their PCS shirt tucked in so that people could see what colour belt you were wearing.
Thx Matthew. It looks bloody uncomfortable, at least the ADF has had the sense to make ‘down and out’ the standard.
The PCS shirt is being replaced with a CS95 style shirt in MTP for the British army. Just a point of pedantry, there is no such thing as ‘the Royal army’.
Aye, just about to mention that, but you beat me to it. There is no such thing as the “Royal Army”.
But back to the uniform…no horrible blue multicam or digital pattern?! I’m impressed.
There’s no such thing as the Royal Army. It’s the British Army 🙂
At least they are NOT wearing a blueberry gucciflage type outfit!
The RAN and RAAF take note no faux Naval Auscam or Airforce Multicam. Just a practical , useable , single colour uniform , no need to go nuts with “corporatisation” of service branch uniforms and costs associated with the “corporatised ” uniform.
The USN and USAF should ALSO take note.
Even an improvement over the old uniform and not just change for change’s sake. You can see the rank from far enough away to salute or give the proper greeting.
A practical uniform, if you’re changing exhausts at Kwik Fit !
Meh it looks better that our navy’s silly blue berry uniform. At least, from a functionality point of view.
Funny how they are basically adopting the USCG uniform…
I laugh when I see the USN berry-flage. I haven’t been able to imagine a worse uniform, and no amount of BS from the brass can turn it into a great uniform.
With respect Old Coastie, the RN are not. Sure its dark Navy blue, but its an evolution of the British army PCS uniform, except it has FR properties.