According to an article in “The Daily Telegraph,” Australian Defense officials are poised to make a cost curbing move that could result in the loss of 400 textile jobs. A special fabric used for combat uniforms is currently manufactured in Wangaratta, Victoria by Bruck Textiles. Those opposed to the move to offshore manufacture claim that not only will the decision affect the Australian textile industry but that the material is a protected technology and that the know how to manufacture it should not be exported. Similar concerns were recently aired in the UK over Chinese manufacture of the newly adopted Multi-Terrain Pattern.
With the Berry Amendment, the US remains one of the only countries with legislation designed to maintain a domestic textile base to support defense requirements.
UPDATE: Word from Australia is that as of close of business Defence had capitulated and that no material will be produced overseas.
The French Army has just released a new version of their combat uniform. Based on operational feedback from numerous Afghanistan deployments, the “Tenue de Combat Nouvelle Génération” features a new, rip-stop fabric. Referred to in some circles as the FELIN uniform, as a nod the the French Future Soldier ensemble (Fantassin à Équipement et Liaisons Intégrés or Integrated Equipment and Communications Infantryman) it retains the Camouflage Centre Europe pattern currently in use. We have not seen a version released in the desert pattern yet.
