Natick has released a Request for Information from industry seeking for production of a Flame Resistant Improved Army Combat Uniform Trouser (Army Combat Pant). We wrote about the “FR ACU Trouser Product Improvement Program” in 2009 but not much information has been released since then. Ultimately, Crye Precision was given the contract to produce the test articles which were evaluated in Afghanistan last year by elements of the 101st.
This is a photo of a prototype.
This RFI signals the beginning of what may well be the introduction of an entirely new piece of combat apparel for issue. While many will argue that this is just an improvement of the current FR ACU trousers, that would only be true so long as the old style is no longer produced. The current FR ACU is an almost stitch for stitch copy of the current ACU worn in garrison as well as permissive field environments. Additionally, the Army issues the Army Combat Shirt which has been optimized for wear with body armor. The new so-called Army Combat Pants are optimized for combat use. This new combat oriented combination would make the FR ACU redundant as it has not been optimized for combat use. Will the Army retain the FR ACU? Most likely. There are plenty of reasons to issue an FR fatigue type of uniform.
Another interesting issue introduced in this RFI is that the ACP will be produced in both OCP as well as UCP. That’s right, despite the adoption of MultiCam as OCP for troops deployed to Afghanistan and a comprehensive camouflage development effort in the form of the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort, a full replacement for the ill-performing UCP can’t come soon enough. Until the Army can decide on a path ahead for signature management it will be forced to continue to invest in a camouflage pattern that does not work in but the most improbable circumstances.
