It seems that Winter/Snow patterns are the latest craze for camo producers. Here you can see new images of ZERO DIVISION’s snow camo taken in Poland by EQUIPPED.PL and provided to us by the uniform’s manufacturer, SPECOPS.PL. The uniforms are SPECOPS MBS-2 with prototype camo print by Zero Division.
There has been a great deal of industry interest in USSOCOM’s recent call for winter/snow camo examples through their Program Manager-Special Operations Forces Survival, Support & Equipment Systems (PM-SOF SSES) office at Natick. Since releasing the Sources Sought Notice last week they have changed the request to industry slightly. But those few changes make for big differences.
Two really stand out.
First, rather than just providing visual camouflage, the patterns must now also provide IR concealment which makes total sense.
The camouflage pattern should be designed to provide concealment in alpine to sub-alpine environments, where snow, ice and rocks are the primary environmental features. The camouflage patterns should provide concealment in both the visual and near infrared ranges.
Camouflage patterns submitted to this sources sought solicitation must be beyond the development phase, and be printable on lightweight synthetic materials.
Second, the option of submitting three patterns per company has unexpectedly been curtailed to one. Naturally, this doesn’t preclude a company from working through a partner to submit additional patterns.
Interested companies may submit one camouflage pattern which meets the description above for this solicitation.
You can read the updates at www.fbo.gov.
As last as last month, during the Military Mountain and Cold Weather Work Shop, snow camouflage was discussed and there was no formal requirement for it. So I found it most interesting that Natick’s Program Manager-Special Operations Forces Survival, Support & Equipment Systems (PM-SOF SSES) initially released a Sources Sought Notice for Winter/Snow Camouflage on 14 March and then just today released an additional Sources Sought Notice for Over Whites. Both were issued on FedBizOpps and they are looking for at this point are samples. Perhaps, from this an actual RFP will be developed and released.
It is important to note that this is for USSOCOM only and that the current US Army Camouflage Improvement Effort did not identify a requirement for Winter/Snow Camouflage. The US Marine Corps fields a pattern that was developed by HyperStealth but access to this pattern by other military organizations has been difficult.
For the Camo Pattern of which there are now a multitude of commercially derived examples, they are “…seeking winter/snow camouflage patterns for possible use on over white garments. The camouflage pattern should be designed to provide concealment in alpine to sub-alpine environments, where snow, ice and rocks are the primary environmental features.
Camouflage patterns submitted to this sources sought solicitation must be beyond the development phase, and be printable on lightweight synthetic materials.
Interested parties are asked to submit three yards of material, preferably a lightweight synthetic material, with the camouflage pattern printed on it for evaluation by PM-SOF SSES by 2 April 2013.” As you can see, not a lot of direction. It’s really more of a “hey, show us what you got.”
The Over White RFI on the other hand is a little more detailed.
“Parka
* Anorak style jacket large enough to fit over PCU Level 7/ high-loft jacket
* Half zip in the front center
* Large zippered pocket on the bottom front starting just below half zip, large enough to fit mittens
* Pass through pockets to access items in interior garment pockets or on body armor vest/load carriage
* Hood with drawstring which fits over helmet and PCU Level 7 hood
* Drawstring around the waist
* Coverage to approximately 4 inches below waistline when high-loft jacket is worn
Pants
* Full side zippers
* Two-way zippers
* Front button closure
* Two interior horizontal suspender attachment points
* Waistband with drawstring closure
* Mechanism at the end of each leg which will keep pants from riding up, i.e. hook or elastic band to attach to boots
The key physical performance characteristics that the material will be evaluated for are weight, compressibility and water resistance. Wind resistance and breathability are desired, but are secondary to the aforementioned key performance characteristics. The total cost of the parka is not to exceed $75, and the cost of the pants is not to exceed $50.
Companies are asked to submit one sample of the over white parka and pants in order to demonstrate the design, and can submit up to three different materials for evaluation. For each material submitted please include 2 yards of the material to be utilized for physical performance testing, as well as a report showing any test results already obtained for the material by 12 April 2013.”
As this thing was originally discussed at the Military Mountain and Cold Weather Work Shop so I’m happy to see that something came out of it.
Developed for a Western European client the SPECOPS.PL KBS-1 Jacket is made from NYCO Pencott GREENZONE camo and incorporates a detachable hood, pit zips and Cordura reinforced elbows.
I’ve heard lots of people opine that the US Army will just have to put that camouflage improvement effort on the back burner due to sequestration. To the contrary, the argument is exactly the opposite. The Army can’t afford to not make the change. Every day that the Army delays its decision is another day that it wastes more money by purchasing additional clothing and equipment in UCP, a pattern that by their own admission doesn’t work. So let’s get going there Army and save some money by spending some.
It doesn’t really matter which family of patterns the Army selects so long as it is more effective than UCP and that its performance is backed up by empirical data. It’s time to end the dog and pony shows. Stop briefing each other on the decision and announce it already. The consequences of sequestration are already hurting morale. Give America’s Soldiers something to be happy about, a new identity and along with it the knowledge that their camouflage pattern is as effective as they are as a fighting force.
The “Invictus” PICO-DA in Kryptek Highlander will be on the TYR Tactical site in the near future and available through Invictus Alliance Group along with a series of products in the Krytek Highlander pattern.
