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DCS Files Suit Against Hyperstealth

Wednesday, December 21st, 2011

Digital Concealment Systems, makers of the A-TACS line of camouflage has filed suit against Canada-based Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp in Georgia Middle District Court. It seems to be a peremptory move by DCS after receiving a cease and desist letter from Hyperstealth’s attorney regarding the new FG variant of A-TACS alleging that it is a virtual duplication of several of HyperStealth’s patterns including Ghostex Alpha and Delta, SpecAM, SOPAT, Eurospec, and CAMOPAT which have been public since 2005. Conversely, DCS asserts that their pattern was developed using different methods than those used by Hyperstealth and that A-TACS uses rounded shapes rather than straight, rigid pixilated shapes and contains far different repeat patterns.

Specifically, DCS is seeking judicial declaration of their use of the A-TACS Camo pattern and a ruling that A-TACS FG pattern does not infringe on HyperStealth’s designs.

Digital Concealment Systems v. HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp.

I’ve looked at the various patterns and I don’t see it but Hyperstealth must have felt they had good reason to send the cease and desist letter in the first place. Generally, these things don’t make it to trial and some sort of accommodation is reached. Hopefully, these two firms will as well.

Predator Intelligence has some great coverage of the issue including the exhibits that show the patterns in question.

blog.predatorbdu.com

Tags: Digital Concealment Systems, Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp
Posted in Camo, Industry | 21 Comments »

Afghan SF in Ghostex Kilo-1 Pattern

Tuesday, December 20th, 2011

Previously adopted by the Afghanistan Border Police, the Ghostex Kilo-1 Pattern is now in use by Afghan Special Forces.

You may notice that the pattern is complimentary to the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP) in use with US Army and Air Force units in Afghanistan. This is because the US Government stipulated that this pattern must have similar coloration but yet be distinctively different from OCP. This is so that the forces could work in concert during operations but would not be mistaken for one another in close proximity.

Here you can see the two patterns side by side.

Ghostex is a joint venture between ADS Inc and Canada-based HyperStealth Biotechnology Corporation.

Tags: ADS Inc, GHOSTEX, Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp
Posted in ADS, Camo, Foreign, Multicam | 4 Comments »

Army Camouflage Improvement Effort Down Select Delay – The Consequences

Monday, December 19th, 2011

Unintended or not, the Army’s most recent delay in announcing the down select is going to hurt those firms currently in the competitive range for the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort. The program has slipped several times since its inception but this latest delay, with announcement coming “during the second week of JAN 2012” is the most troubling.

Unfortunately, this new deadline butts right up against the annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade Show, 17-20 January in Las Vegas. SHOT Show is THE trade show of the year for those in the camo business, regardless of hunting or tactical and many of the candidate families of patterns will do well in both markets.

This is the first time we can think of in the Soldier Systems industry that a company is penalized for being a possible contract winner. These companies can’t conduct any marketing activities or even share their designs with potential customers for fear of influencing the source selection authority.

With a Government announcement as late as the 13th of January, companies are already enroute to Las Vegas. There is no way that they could print new signage or marketing materials in time to use them at SHOT. What’s more, with the 10 day protest window bracketing both SHOT Show and Outdoor Retailer, a formal announcement by a company that they are a finalist could very well, still be premature.

Conversely, companies that have already been informed that they are not in the competitive range can on about their business and market their patterns without any encumbrances. They are probably all jumping for joy at the Army’s decision.

We don’t believe that this decision was made with the intention of making things difficult for industry. But, it does. We urge the Army to make its announcement soon so that industry can do the things it needs to do, to sell its wares. That is what a good partner would do.

Posted in Camo, Contracts, Industry | 28 Comments »

Official Update on US Army Camouflage Improvement Effort

Friday, December 16th, 2011

We just received this statement from Army PEO Soldier Spokesperson Debra Dawson:

“The Phase IV Camouflage Effort Award are tentatively scheduled to be announced during the second week of JAN 2012. Letters have been issued already to those offerors who did not make the competitive range for the effort.
Once the contract award is made, there will be a 10-day period in which any Protests to the contract award must be filed. Following that protest period, Army Contracting Command will officially release the names of the awardees.”

Thank you to PEO Soldier for keeping our readers up to date. This should make for a very interesting SHOT Show.

Posted in Camo, Contracts, PEO-Soldier | 7 Comments »

Army Camouflage Improvement Effort for Dummies

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Since we’re seeing a lot of internet chatter indicating that many are under the impression that the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort will immediately result in a singular “winner” and that the Army will immediately replace UCP, we though it would be a good idea to post a few facts in bullet format.

– Universal Camouflage Pattern is not performing as envisioned.

– The Army Camouflage Improvement Effort is a multi-phase project to improve the camouflage of its Soldiers. The Army is seeking a family of three camouflage patterns with identical geometry and tailored colorways for woodland, desert, and transitional environments with an optional fourth pattern to complement Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment.

– During the current phase industry and government families of patterns were evaluated using a picture-in-picture technique to identify the top four performing commercial submissions (allegedly up to 20 were submitted) and a single top government option. Additionally, a baseline consisting of OCP (MultiCam), MARPAT (Woodland and Desert), AOR (1&2) was also evaluated to determine the current level of camouflage performance afforded by these patterns. This performance metric is referred to as “baseline.”

– Soon, the US Army will announce the finalists consisting of four commercially developed families of patterns and one government developed family of patterns.

– These selected vendors will have their patterns printed on 50/50 NYCO and 500D Cordura fabric and turn this material over to the Army to have uniforms and OCIE manufactured for field trials.

– The Army will conduct field trials consisting of a variety of tests with actual maneuver elements to aid in determining the best camouflage option.

– The Army leadership has been briefed throughout this effort.

– We fully expect the remainder of this effort to take a minimum of 18 months based on the requirement to print fabric in completely new patterns, organize and conduct testing, analyze data and prepare courses of action including programming (finding) rock drills and brief the Army leadership.

– There is still no funding or guarantee that this effort will result in one of these patterns being fielded.

– However, we fully believe that UCP will be replaced. Whether it is with one of the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort family of patterns or another option remains to be seen.

BOTTOM LINE: Based on the effort’s current pace, do not look for a UCP replacement for at least 18 months with further delays likely.

Posted in Camo, Contracts | Comments Off on Army Camouflage Improvement Effort for Dummies

ODG Comments On Camo Improvement Effort

Friday, December 16th, 2011

“MOVE NOT UNLESS YOU SEE AN ADVANTAGE; USE NOT YOUR TROOPS UNLESS THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE GAINED; FIGHT NOT UNLESS THE POSITION IS CRITICAL. IF IT IS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE, MAKE A FORWARD MOVE; IF NOT,STAY WHERE YOU ARE. SITUATION DICTATES FORCE NEEDED TO OVERCOME YOUR ENEMY.”
-Sun Tzu

30 days until SHOT…more to follow…..

Tags: Orion Design Group
Posted in Camo, Contracts | 1 Comment »

KLOAK – Cryptic Armour Designed By God, Concealed In Nature

Friday, December 16th, 2011

Another candidate family of patterns from the US Army Camouflage Improvement Effort has emerged. Genesis Pattern Technologies, founded by the developer of the popular hunting pattern Mothwing, has developed several pattern families for a wide variety of applications. Seen below is their Milpat1 variant family in the Konbat (Koncealment Battalion) line which includes “macro-micro patterns” based on features found in nature. For example, those crack-like designs can be found in the face of a rock just as well as in topography.

Here is a copy of their full press release.

Genesis Pattern Technologies LLC today announced that Chevalier Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations has been retained to help launch KLOAK Konsealment in its international debut of a new family of cryptic camouflage patterns to the outdoor industry and military.

During its launch phase, KLOAK will roll out numerous adaptive patterns to various markets, including the current U.S. Army Camouflage Improvement Effort Solicitation.

â€œChevalierâ€™s vision and combined knowledge of the outdoor and military markets will help guide KLOAK to a position that is reflective of the innovative nature of our technology-based company,â€ said Steve Johnson, Founder of Genesis Pattern Technologies. Company CEO and Director of Licensing, Steve Regan adds, â€œChevalier has helped guide some of the best brands in the industry to success, and we have great confidence that the same will hold true for KLOAK.â€

â€œWe are excited and honored to be working with Genesis Pattern Technologies in its ground-level introduction of KLOAK,â€ said Chevalierâ€™s President, Greg Chevalier. â€œWith Steve Johnsonâ€™s background in patterning and Steve Reganâ€™s history in licensingâ€”and their combined foresight into the future of concealment and strategic partnerships with major industry manufacturersâ€“we see this relationship as an incredible opportunity for both our companies.â€

Prior to his development of Genesis Pattern Technologies, Johnson founded the innovative Mothwing Camo Technologies, which he sold in 2007. Regan brings decades of licensing experience to Genesis and is currently a partner with RWG Licensing. His background includes outdoor brands such as Dick Idol, Wild Wings, PGA TOUR, Bob Timberlake, Earnest Hemingway, John Wayne Enterprises and Ducks Unlimited.

The new KLOAK patterns, based upon mimicry patterning and cryptic colorations found in the natural world, will be unveiled during the SHOT Show in Las Vegas (Booth #243) right beside Under Armour, January 17-20, 2012.

Genesis Pattern Technologies strives to become the international leader in the development of camouflage patterns, as well as the development, marketing and production of other outdoors products and technologies for sale to outdoor enthusiasts.

www.KloakDNA.com

Tags: Genesis Pattern Technologies, KLOAK
Posted in Camo, Industry | 6 Comments »