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Air Force Seeking MultiCam Flight Suits – NOT

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

CANCELLED! Looks like Airmen will NOT be getting MultiCam flightsuits anytime soon. Quite specifically, a recent RFQ from the 45th Space Wing’s Contracting Squadron calls for some 200 DRIFIRE brand two piece flight suits, t-shirts, and combat shirts. In MultiCam no less. We’ve written about Drifire’s two piece flight suit. To summarize, the benefits of Drifire are myriad:
-Permanent Flame Resistance
-Moisture Wicking
-Fast Drying
-Superior Comfort
-Anti-Microbial
-Anti-Odor

Based on these stats, it’s now wonder that they asked for Drifire.

It is important to note that the procurement originates at Patrick AFB on Florida’s Space Coast (hence the 45th Space Wing). Patrick is home to the USAF Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing. Think PJs and Rescue Helos. So this isn’t the start of some big Air Force procurement for MultiCam flight suits. However, it is a great opportunity for Dri Fire.

All of this may sound confusing. But you have to understand how the Air Force conducts business. The 45th Space Wing is the host base and the 920th is a tenant. Consequently, they will rely on the host Wing for things like contracting. While the 45 Wing might be buying these garments, they are probably not the folks paying for them, or using them.

While the Air Force recently announced that it will be fielding Army OCP clothing and equipment to deploying Airmen, flyer’s clothing was not discussed. The Army does in fact have a certified two piece flight suit in MultiCam in the form of the OCP A2CU. What’s more, they just equipped the first unit a few weeks ago. But, the Air Force often wants to go its own way when it comes to flight suits. In fact, two piece flight suits have been a bit of a touchy subject in the Air Force for quite some time, whether they have been certified by another service or not. However, the two piece ensembles are much better for helo crews including PJs and flight medics. It’s good to see the troops getting the kit they need.

DRIFIRE Phenix II Flight Suit

www.drifire.com

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GCS to Supply AFRC Mobility Bags

Friday, February 4th, 2011

The United States Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) has awarded a 5-year Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract to Garrett Containers Systems (GCS) for mobility A & B bags. This contract has a ceiling of $5 million. GCS will provide AFRC forces deployment bags kitted with over 84 different individual equipment items customized by size for each Airman. For more on GCS capabilities, visit their website www.garrettcontainer.com

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AF Announces Adoption of OCP for Deployers

Friday, January 28th, 2011

Making good on their promise of 24 August, the Air Force has officially announced what was already happening. Personnel deploying to Operation Enduring Freedom will be issued clothing and equipment in the OEF Camouflage Pattern (OCP), commercially known as MultiCam. The Army had begun issuing OCP to its Afghanistan-bound forces last summer and included some Air Force deployers due to the nature of their mission such as Joint Terminal Attack Controllers which embed with Army maneuver forces.

In a USAF press release, Lt. Col. Shawna McGowan, the Air Force future programs branch chief made several statements regarding the fielding.

“At first, Airmen receiving the (Airman Battle System-Ground, or ABS-G) uniforms with mission responsibilities outside the wire in Afghanistan will have priority for the OCP.”

But the plan is for the OCP uniform to eventually become the only ground-combat uniform worn by Airmen in Afghanistan both inside and outside the wire, she said. This also will minimize the number of bags Airmen will carry into and out of the theater.

“The OCP uniform is scientifically developed to blend in with Afghanistan’s terrain, which will make our Airmen safer and more effective on the battlefield,” she said. “The new material is also flame resistant and lighter weight than either the ABS-G or the (Airman Battle Uniforms, or ABUs).”

The material also contains a bug repellant to protect our deployed Airmen, she added.

And, the colonel said, not only is this uniform better than its predecessors, but working jointly with the Army to use a tested uniform is the fiscally responsible thing to do.

“It’s not only a joint use of the best ground combat uniform available,” Colonel McGowan said, “it saves fiscal resources and also aligns with the National Defense Authorization Act language that encourages collaborative efforts between the services.”

Since the OCP is replacing the other uniforms, there also will be a savings that will come from not needing to store and supply both the ABS-G and ABU, she said.

So, reading this, I come away with the understanding that the Air Force will be purchasing OCP clothing and equipment from Army stocks and issuing them to Airmen who are deploying to OEF. However, it is interesting that Lt Col McGowan would claim that the OCP uniform is better than the ABS-G or that the Air Force will realize cost savings due to the fielding of OCP.

Since the entire Air Force is still going to use the ABU for all home station forces outside of Afghanistan and those deploying to a combat zone still require the ABS-G in the digital pattern, the Air Force will be adding a third uniform ensemble. Sounds like it will cost more to me. Want to truly save money Air Force? Dump the Digital Tiger Stripe pattern and adopt MultiCam across the board. One uniform for all regardless of location.

As for her assertion that the uniform is more effective. From a camouflage standpoint it most definitely is. The Army adopted OCP for use in Afghanistan for a reason. While Air Force Digital Tiger Stripe was not included in the Army’s camo testing regimen conducted in 2009 in Afghanistan, the colorway is based on UCP with Slate Blue as an additional fourth color. As a camouflage pattern it performs in a similar manner to UCP; abysmally. However, the ABS-G itself is actually a great system. The fabric used in the actual field uniform is the same as used in the Army’s A2CU and is lighter and more breathable than that used in the FR ACU. Additionally, the ABS-G is a total system that incorporates FR insulation layers. The Army’s Gen III ECWCS does not.

The article goes on to warn troops as well as units that they cannot purchase clothing and equipment in OCP.

“The only authorized OCP uniforms are those purchased and issued by Air Force Central Command,” Colonel McGowan said. “While some units are interested in procuring the OCP for training, future deployments and such, they won’t be authorized to do so because those orders would take away from supplies that are prioritized for the most at-risk deployers.”

She also discouraged individuals from purchasing their own uniforms as that could result in them receiving non-tested, non-compliant uniforms that ultimately could put lives at risk. With any new uniform, ‘knock-offs’ are readily available and Airmen need to use sound judgment and not spend personal funds on potentially non-compliant OCP assets, she said.

“Essentially, any unauthorized purchase of the OCP uniforms could result in putting Airmen at risk either on the front lines or at home,” the colonel said.

All good advice, except that it’s a bit melodramatic. Air Force elements were in MultiCam long before this decision by the Air Staff and will continue to do so in the future based on mission. They have had no trouble finding ample supplies of clothing and equipment. The real issue here is that the MultiCam version of the FR ACU which is referred to as the OCP uniform is simply not available commercially. However, ample stocks of alternative FR clothing items in MultiCam are freely available such as New Balance’s System 7. In fact, the Airman Battle Shirt is produced by vendor Massif. They also just so happen to manufacture the Army Combat Shirt in UCP as well as MultiCam and have recently introduced an entire line of commercially available certified FR MultiCam clothing. As for field equipment, pick a vendor and they are making it in MultiCam. Some of it is excellent and some of it is pure junk. Caveat Emptor.

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USAF Approved Level 7 Garments at SHOT Show

Friday, January 14th, 2011

ADS will be showing their entire ECWCS Gen III clothing system (in MultiCam no less) but one of the levels should be of particular interest for Air Force personnel attending SHOT Show as it was recently approved for use by the Air Force Clothing Office.

USAF Approves ECWCS Gen III Lvl7

www.ADSinc.com/gen-iii

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Massif Mountain Gear Company at SHOT Show

Friday, January 7th, 2011

In addition to producing the US Army issue Army Combat Shirt (and USAF Airman Battle Shirt), Massif has been producing several cool new FR garments. One of them is commercial Universal Combat Shirt which is based on the ACS. What’s more, these as well as Massif’s other new garments are available in an ever widening variety of colors including Tan, OD, and MultiCam. We have production samples of these new items and we can tell you that they are top notch for both design and quality. Check their entire line out at booth #26003.

UCS by Massif

www.masssif.com

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Maintainer Boot from Tactical Research

Monday, January 3rd, 2011

If you are in the Air Force and work around POL at all you know that the current green suede boots absorb like a sponge. Not only does it look bad, but it’s hazardous as well. While the Air Force has decided to adopt a smooth leather version, implementation has been slow.

If you are wearing Black boots to work, the new Maintainerâ„¢ from Belleville’s Tactical Research might just be for you. Not only does it feature full grain leather, it also has a composite safety toe which, is not only lighter weight that steel, it does not conduct heat or cold like steel toes. Additionally, and ever important for maintenance troops, the outsole is oil and slip resistant.

To order visit www.bellevilleshoe.com and look for the TR636 CT – Maintainerâ„¢ Boot.

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Reversible Air Force Rain Suit

Friday, December 24th, 2010

According to THY, producer of the suit, it is “Available in a new trademarked six screen camouflage with reverse in a Military Universal ACU pattern (for AFSOC use only) and a solid color brown for consumers.” Truth be told, you can have the UCP.

Developed over two years ago, this camo pattern has only been used by AFSOC. Notice that one side of the reversible suit is Army UCP, when THY first worked on the suit, AFSOC could not get permission from the Clothing Office to print it in Digital Tiger Stripe since there was concern that it might provide competition for the new APECS jackets just coming into the system. So AFSOC figured they’d just as well use UCP as it blends pretty well with DTS.

When it is configured with the green/brown camo out the styling very much mimics the old BDU cut. We have examined a set and two things struck us. It is very lightweight and very tear resistant.

In addition to the rainsuit THY is also releasing a lean-to.

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Mad Duo – AF Makes a Smart Move When It Comes to Snivel Gear

Thursday, December 23rd, 2010

SSD Note: This is great news for WTT as well as the USAF! Airmen look for your Gen III Level & garments in Grey.

As you may have read last week, the Marine Corps has ordered a bunch of new happy suits for Gyrenes in cold places around the world, courtesy of Wild Things Tactical by Wild Things, Inc. What you may not know is it’s now official that zoomies can wear their version of WTT. Yes indeedy, the AF has finally figured it out.

Now let me make this clear. Slim and I have been bad ass tough guys for years, but frankly when it comes to cold weather we’re what you might call actively voluble pussies. (That’s the MILSPEAK way of saying we piss and moan and bitch a lot, but still get out there and get the job done—and for the record, before you criticize us for being pussies, keep in mind that the snow currently stacked up to the top of your boot is actually over our head.) If you want to make an acronym out of that, feel free. We’re not ashamed of being AVPs.

Anyway, our handlers have spent the last couple of days in Wild Things Tactical snivel kit. You may remember us talking about WTT cold weather gear before, because it’s so damn fantabulous. We genuinely love this stuff, and so do our handlers, so it shouldn’t be a big surprise that we’re happy to bring this good news to those of you forced to wear that damnable digital tiger stripe crap and deal with zipper-suited sun gods.

If you do not know what a zipper-suited sun god is, then you haven’t spent much time around AF bases. We hear at Breach-Bang-Clear appreciate pilots for their impact on the battlefield, CAS gun runs in particular, but anyone whose spent any time around them out of the cockpit knows what a pain in the ass most of them are, and must wonder how much they spend annually on hair gel, sunglasses and teeth-whitener…but again we digress. Wild Things Tactical Extreme Cold Weather Gear, by Wild Things Tactical, Inc, is now Air Force approved.

According to the Air Force Uniform Office, Wild Things Tactical Gen III Level 7 Extreme Cold Weather System jacket and pants are replacing the N3B and F1B parka and trousers. This is the same ECWCS the Army has been using and it’s pretty bad ass. We actually called Richard Keefer’s office (he’s the head duck at the “AF Uniform Office”) but we never heard back. This could possibly be because he and his staff weren’t sure how exactly to deal with an interview request by foot tall tactical operators-slash-journalists, or perhaps he’s just really busy. We won’t hold it against him.

A couple things you need to know if you’re an A4/purchasing officer type USAF individual (or anyone else that might want to put your troops, officers or operators into WTT snivel kit). First off, it doesn’t have to worn as just a layering system. It can be stand-alone. They jackets, for instance, are sized to accommodate body armor, and are sized in the torso appropriately to wear with a duty belt or holster (if you’re so inclined). This could be a Good Thing for some of the folks that spend a lot of time shivering in garrison, like skycops doing dismounted RAMs, foot patrols around billeting, standing overwatch at the gate, etc. It’s comfy, it’s warm and it’s nowhere near as loud or irritating as the Gore-tex jacket you’re already wearing.

Second, they’re built with Epic, which is way too complicated for us to explain here and will probably be over half of your heads anyway (no offense, we don’t get it either). It makes for a good cold weather garment, though, trust us. We’d lie to you, just not about this. They’ve got 6 oz. of PrimaLoft and the Epic barrier that allows it to insulate even while completely wet. This gear wasn’t only industry tested, it was NATICK tested.

Third, it’s already been tried and tested in really shitty conditions under fire by guys that know what they like. When the Army decided to completely redesign its cold weather system, it went to the 10TH Mountain Division (Climb to Glory!) for field testing between the Fall of 2006 and Spring of 2007. Reviews were outstanding. For instance, LTC Christopher Cavoli of 1-32 Infantry (“Chosin”) said, “…I found myself praying for bad weather…I knew my soldiers could handle it and the enemy couldn’t. [Wild Things Tactical] ECWCS allowed my men to outlast the enemy on their own terrain. When the enemy was forced out of the mountains due to the bitter cold to take shelter, that’s when we got them…”

Fourthly, if you’re an AF purchasing official, UDM, etc. with authority to source equipment for your squadron, group or wing, Wild Things Tactical will send you a sample to T&E at the local level. You just need to contact their military sales representative, Grady Burrell, and make the arrangements.

Fifthly and lastly, Wild Things LLC, WT Tactical will offer until Jan 15, a Military / Federal Officer Discount of 20% off Retail on Multicam, Coyote, OD Green and Black Tactical Gear for INDIVIDUAL sales. Must validate with FED / MIL address. AD/RES and NG. ON IN STOCK ITEMS ONLY!

Gen III ECWCS is provided to the US Army under a contract with ADS. Air Force units wishing to purchase Level 7 should contact them. www.ADSinc.com/Gen-III

Oh…if you need to contact Grady (Grady Burrell III, Director of Military & LE Sales), he can be reached at (828) 421-4349 or Grady.Burrell@wildthingsgear.com. Make sure you let him know we referred you, so we can affirm in their minds once again how valuable an ally they have in the Mad Duo, and how foolish they’d be not to keep us up to speed on new developments on their end.

Please check back in at SSD more frequently than you might otherwise do so. We’ve gotten a bunch of new kit in over the last couple of weeks and are in the process of reviewing it. Naturally we are eager to share the finding of our evaluation, our wisdom and almost supernaturally incisive wit. If you have any ideas for us to review or discuss, drop us a line at Breach-Bang-Clear or FaceBook.com/MadDuo; unless you’re going to complain about our opinions, writing style or philosophy (or you’re a sissy) in which case don’t bother.

Mad Duo Out!

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