While not a wholesale of TenCate’s fabric solutions, or of FR in general, two recent Canadian procurements will result in the use of TenCate fabrics by Canadian troops.
First, the Advance Combat Ensemble (ACE) used by the Canadian Air Force will be manufactured with Nomex FR fabric from TenCate’s Brigade product portfolio. Additionally, new tents will incorprate the Nomex-based TenCate Campshield FR liner fabric.
Australia is purchasing an additional 10,000 Operational Combat Uniforms. These “test” items will be manufactured from TenCate’s 6.5 oz Defender M fabric. This is the improved fabric used by the US Army and Marine Corps rather than than the earlier fabric used in the first run of ODUs. The ODU is essentially a Crye Precision combat uniform. Apparently, someone at Department of Defence has determined that there is a need for FR protection for the Australian Soldier.
Photo: ABIS Jo Dilorenzo, 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit, Australia DoD
ADS has just published a new document on their website. Not only is it free, but it’s about FREE, the Army’s Fire Resistant Environmental Ensemble. It is a Fire Resistant, layered clothing system, designed to protect the Soldier from the effects of flame threats while serving in adverse weather conditions down to -40 deg F.
In my opinion, FREE is a well built, well designed system. It’s only major issue, is the basis of issue. While the Army recently expanded the recipients of the system, it is still restricted to Soldiers actually assigned to operate aircraft or vehicle. This means, those who ride as passengers are not afforded the same level of protection as those operating the platform. During long transits to insertion points, whether via vehicle or aircraft, passengers are often exposed to the elements. Standard warmies including the issue ECWCS Gen III, are not FR (with the exception of the most recent Level 5 softshells). This oversight poses a danger to those passengers. I encourage the Army to expand the use of FR cold and inclement clothing systems to ALL Soldiers who operate outside the wire. They already receive FR ACUs, Army Combat Shirts and now Pants as well, so why not cold weather clothing?
But, enough of my editorializing. Head on over to the new and improved ADS website to see what FREE is all about. (I actually know that the article is pretty good, because I wrote it.)
FREE – Keeping You Warm In Spite of the Heat
Here is an example of the Army Combat Pant in the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (MultiCam). New readers should check out the article we posted earlier this month on the Propper variant of the ACP.
As you can see they integrate the patented Crye Precision knee pad. Crye has this IP locked up pretty tight with not only the knee pad but also how it integrates into the trouser.
20 Additional Fireloc products from American Cord & Webbing have earned ratings from Underwriter Laboratories.
Primarily designed for high-heat applications, these Fireloc products have been tested and approved by Underwriters Laboratories (UL) for use in the United States and Canada. In addition to Fireloc, ACW also provides complimentary webbing manufactured from Kevlar, Nomex, and PBI.
In a press release, Mark Krauss, president of ACW stated, “We are very pleased to bring 20 more UL approved products to the marketplace. The expansion of the “Fireloc “ line of heat-resistant products is a direct result of how our highly skilled and knowledgeable staff along with the efficiency of our manufacturing facility allow us to meet the demands of our customers.â€
WL Gore debuted their new GORE PYRAD FR fabric at AUSA. What’s unique about this technology is that Gore takes standard nylon-based fabrics and hardens them with the PYRAD technology. This allows them to exploit all of nylon’s strengths such as fast dry out time as well as enhanced camouflage through colorfastness and enhanced UV resistance. Additionally, this technology takes full advantage of the existing fabric supply change with the material being processed by Gore to create PYRAD.
GORE PYRAD has successfully undergone Army testing. Additionally, the technology has already been commercialized with select US and Allied units having purchased garments integrating GORE PYRAD technology.
This is Propper International’s version of the Army Combat Pant. It is made from 3 different TenCate FR fabrics including a heavier duty seat reinforcement as well as the stretch panels around the knees and above the seat. One distinct difference we know that the Propper version has from Crye’s offering is a zippered fly rather buttons. Additionally, the button at closure at the top is located on the front flap rather than the rear and buttons into a fully enclosed hole.
Here you can see the reinforced rear.
The Propper pant utilizes Cry’s proprietary kneepad design.
The kneepad is removable and and the pant features an internal flap that plugs the hole from the inside when the kneepad is not worn.
The pant leg incorporates several cloth adjustable take up tabs.
The height of the kneepad is also adjustable via an internal shockcord that is held in place via a barrel lock contained in the external upperthigh pockets.
Here you can see the low profile take up tabs on the sides of the nonpadded waist band.
Word is that Crye Precision, Massif and Propper International will face off for the final contract for the Army Combat Pant.
“Threads” is a clothing and equipment newsletter published by the Australian Department of Defence for industry. It is a great resource for keeping up with the latest in Australian initiatives. One interesting article confirms that the Australians are going to domestically manufacture their recently adopted Operational Combat Uniforms consisting of consists of four different garments: Field Shirt, Field Pants, Combat Shirt and Combat Pants designed by Crye Precision. The article also verifies that these will be printed in a new Australian variant of the MultiCam pattern. Hopefully, these will be manufactured from the latest version of TenCate’s FR Defender-M fabric rather than going back to the non-FR twill that some in Australia’s opposition political party have called for after some durability issues were noted with an older version of Defender-M. This new fabric adopted last year by the USMC and recently by the US Army features twice the tear strength of the version used in the last round of OCUs.
For the access to full library visit www.defence.gov.au/dmo/news/threads/.
