TF Mountain Warrior(3d Squadron of the 61st Cavalry of the 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division) was featured earlier today on CNN. Seen here is the Battalion Commander, LTC Brown wearing ACUs in UCP-Delta along with UCP TA-50.
As you can see, the unit is wearing UCP-Delta on patrol.
The response to the article on camouflaged weapons has been extraordinary with readers contacting us via email, phone call, and text message with feedback on expedient methods of breaking up the outline of small arms.
Here are two examples of weapons camouflage. Interestingly, both are of foreign weapons although the first is expedient in nature and the second purpose built. When you look at the time frames of the two photos you may wonder like I do why it has taken so long for something so simple to become standard.
The first image depicts Rhodesian Soldiers in the mid-1970s with painted FN FALs and the second is a picture of the Australian F88A3 rifle based on the AUG. The finish of the F88A3 in a khaki color used in the Australian Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform and is manufactured by Thales at the Lithgow Small Arms Factory. It is an interim solution until the A4 version has completed development.
According to a report on Strike Hold! the Afghan National Army has selected a new camouflage pattern called appropriately enough, “Afghan Forest”. The uniforms resemble the ACU styling but feature a normal shirt collar.
Canada has decided to develop a unique urban camo pattern called Canadian Urban Environment Pattern (CUEPAT). Ok, makes sense. But not the why and where. That is where it gets weird. We had to take this straight from the tender:
“The Department of National Defence, Defence Research and Development Canada – Suffield, (DRDC-S), AB, has a requirement to develop a Canadian Urban Environment Pattern (CUEPAT) based on the unique requirements of Canada’s three major metropolitan areas, Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal. The current CBR individual protective equipment (IPE) used by the Canadian military is provided in a woodland or desert camouflage. A camouflage suited to the Canadian urban environment is required when the milatary (sic) operates in urban terrain.”
So essentially, Canada’s equivalent of DTRA is seeking a camo pattern based on domestic urban environments. What’s even more curious is that the pattern is specifically for chem-bio gear. One would think that for domestic CBR defense, one would want to blend in with the local population as much as possible, perhaps as first responders or in items that more closely resemble civilian clothing.
However, what makes this even more interesting is that the tender is the Public Works equivalent of a sole source solicitation. The work is being handed over to Guy Cramer and Co at HyperStealth Biotechnology Corp. So how did they get this sole source contract valued at $24,900.00 C$ (GST extra)? Once again we have to look at the tender.
“The Contractor holds the proprietary right to the advanced fractal algorithms and feed back loop technology to develop non-repeating digital camouflage patterns. HyperStealth Biotechnology Corporation’s design team of Guy Cramer and Timothy R. O’Neill share copyright on approximately 8,000 digital camouflage patterns. Access to this extensive data base for the purposes of developing a new Canadian urban environment camouflage pattern is critical to the success of the project. All Intellectual Property Rights in the Foreground Information shall belong to the Contractor as soon as they come into existence. There are no alternative sources of supply for this requirement as no other Canadian source exists that has the capability to design and develop digital, non-repeating camouflage patterns using state-of-the-art fractal algorithms and feed back loop technology, with concomitant IP protected access to approximately 8,000 copyrighted patterns that can be used in full support of meeting the requirement.”
That’s right, copyright on over 8,000 patterns! Some other nuggets from the solicitation include that the period of performance will be from contract award until March 31, 2010 but may include follow on work. Interestingly, HyperStealth will be allowed to retain the intellectual property developed under this contract.
So the way this is written, it looks like the Canadian government is paying HyperStealth almost 25 large to do work they have already accomplished and they are giving them six months to do it. In the end, the Canadian government will have an urban camo pattern fine tuned for use in their own major cities and applied only to chemical and biological warfare clothing. Like I said; interesting.
The Canadian DnD has just issued a tender through Public Works for 25,270 “Hybrid Shirts” in CADPAT(AR) to be delivered by 31 March 2010. The documentation describes the “Hybrid Shirt” as having “a knit material body and FR fabric arms in Canadian Disruptive Pattern Arid Regions (CADPAT AR)”.
Something you have to know is that everything purchased by the Canadian military is purchased through Public Works and Government Services Canada. I know it sounds kind of odd to us Americans but it’s how they do things.
As for the requirement itself, it’s kind of interesting. Industry insiders tell us that the specified body material is the Cordura no-melt, no-drip fabric we wrote about last year. Incidentally, the Tru-Spec Combat Shirt also utilizes the same Cordura fabric for the body. The Cordura fabric offers a lower cost alternative to the more expensive performance FR materials used in many combat ensembles. No-melt, no-drip fabrics are sort of a “do no harm” option and are generally based on natural fibers with performance enhancing treatments.
What is intriguing in all of this is that there is a Canadian connection to this fabric. Tac Wear had the exclusive on that fabric for awhile and pioneered its use in military base layers. In fact, they produced the initial run of t-shirts, some of which were offered through military outfitter Ranger Joes near Fort Benning, Georgia. Wonder how TW will dare on this procurement.
So the news is good for the Canadian soldier. Sort of. Eight years into the war they are finally starting to procure proper load carrying systems and uniforms. Unfortunately, the Hybrid Shirts won’t be available until Spring of next year. On the other hand, for those of you who can’t wait, CP Gear offers a full range of load carrying solutions as well as combat clothing such as the OTW Shirt seen above.
The Integrated Soldier System Project is a follow-on to the Clothe The Soldier program which has outfitted the Canadian Soldier with a wide array of modern systems. Intended to be conducted from 2009 – 2016 ISSP is intended to build upon the work already accomplished by CTS and serve to integrate the Soldier into a digitized battlespace. As ambition as this project is, Canadian force modernization must continue to refine projects developed under CTS in order to stay relevant to the current fight.
Photo: Canadian DnD
Almost from its inception the currently issued Tactical Vest (TV) was outdated while most of the other components of CTS were state of the art. It featured fixed pockets and limited space for ammunition. In order to improve the ability of the individual soldier to reconfigure his vest based on role as well as increase carrying capacity 12 commercial Modular Fighting Rigs were evaluated at the Regimental Armory in Gatineau Quebec. The various candidate MFRs were modular in nature and of webbing, chest-rig or vest design and the evaluators represented every Infantry Regiment. Additionally, an entire suite of pouches was evaluated to complement the MFR. According to the video the top four candidates will go on for operational testing with Task Force 110. However, documents we have seen identify only the top three candidates moving forward into operational testing. Mums still the word on which systems made the cut but we do know that one of the systems was a 2-piece MAV with X-harness provided by Tactical Tailor.
The Canadian Forces have produced this excellent video describing the trial.
Here’s something for you to do if you are in Bad Reichenhall, Germany next week. Naturally, the term “Indirect Protection Systems” refers to camouflage. In addition to full program of lectures on advanced camouflage system, 20 exhibits will be on hand. The symposium which takes place from the 20th through the 23rd of October 2009 is organized by the Bundeswehr Technical Center for Protective and Special Technologies (WTD 52) and will cover the four main areas of camouflage, concealment, deception, jamming and smoke camouflage.
Interested parties should visit the website.
