[Camouflage] L'après Multicam?

[S-37 Berkut]

Pour la ville, celle-ci n'est pas homogène. Il existe de très grands nombres de villes différentes. Il n'est pas possible d'avoir recours à un camouflage unique.

C'est vrai et faux en même temps. Car quand un terrain urbain est "neuf" qu'il n'a pas subit de dégradations dû à des combats, c'est claire que les couleurs sont très variable et peuvent être n'importe les quelles.

Par contre, un terrain urbain qui connait des destructions a presque toujours une dominante de couleurs gris béton et acier, car ces éléments sont mis à nue. Les grandes villes moderne sont en majeur partie faite de béton et d'acier . Le reste n'étant finalement souvent que de la peinture ou du verre qui disparaissent assez rapidement en cas de destruction du mobilier urbain.

Je me permet de remettre cette photo

Un camo trop sombre pauserait problème en milieu urbain je crois.

[Connorfra]

Après il faut nuancer sur la composante urbaine tes arguments sont vrai toutefois un camouflage foret suffisamment à dominante brune avec peu de grosse tache noir (le noir étant la couleur posant toujours problème le noir n’existant pas dans la nature) peux offrir un camouflage décent dans les villes ou il y a beaucoup de végétation comme les villes au lisière des jungles (comme se fut le cas à Abidjan ou le CE était très bien sauf nos grosses taches noir ...) ou les petites ville de pays tempéré ect... et un camouflage désert digital marche très bien dans les villes en milieux désertique et dans certaines grandes villes il suffit de regarder les marines en Iraq même si j'avoue qu'un bon camouflage spécifique et mieux dans son environnement et que si les coups de logistiques n'étaient pas  aussi élevé l’idéale serais un camouflage pour chaque environnement du pays vers lesquels on va mais cela et mise à part pour les commandos et forces spéciale (SF et Commandos chez qui le multicam continuera d’exister ainsi que l'UCP)  difficilement faisable et donc le mieux et un compromis (si possible en Afghanistan le camouflage posent problème aux Marines obliger d'embarquer les deux) comme le multicam la fait en Afghanistan et que l'UCP ou le marpat desert faisaient en Irak  ... Et aussi il ne faut pas oublier qu'en milieu urbain un camouflage finis toujours gris quoi qu'il arrive après deux explosions à proximité.

[Serge]

Depuis 2002, le problème du camouflage dans les armées américaines continue. Voici un point de situation sur ce qui se passe :

We’ve mentioned multiple times that the Army does not plan to make a major announcement about the upcoming transition to the newly renamed Operational Camouflage Pattern, first adopted for use in Afghanistan and known commercially as MultiCam. Developed by Crye Precision about 10 years ago, it has been used for years by US SOF and variants are in use worldwide with a variety of armed forces.

Announcement

Instead of a public announcement, expect the transition to be implemented in two ways. First, the Army will cease the purchase of clothing and equipment in UCP. Second, in the coming months, the Army G1 will issue one or more ALARACT messages. These All Army Action messages hold the weight of orders from the Army staff and are used to direct implementation of various programs or policies.

Timetable

Here’s what we’ve told you already regarding the change:

During AUSA we shared some info that was passed to industry by an Army acquisition official…

However, according to the information received by SSD, the Army will eventually make an official announcement and plans to begin fielding OCP to new accessions beginning in FY15 with uniforms for the rest of the force starting in FY16. According to the source, the reason for the delay is that the Army plans to tweak the colors in the pattern slightly. Interestingly, the source also claimed that the Army would have access to the woodland and arid environmental patterns as well.

When asked about the time gap until the new patterns are fielded and the requirement for the Army’s incumbent UCP, the source answered that analysis indicated that there were enough uniforms already in stock or on order to support the force except for some odd sizes based on current demand models.

Bookend Patterns

We have also received verbal verification that the Army purchased a license for OCP from Crye Precision. This is a very important piece of information as it will help you understand what is going to happen.

During the unofficially abandoned Army Camouflage Improvement Effort, the Army announced a requirement for a family of patterns that included a Transitional pattern, Arid or Desert pattern, Woodland or Jungle pattern as well as a fourth optional pattern for Organizational Clothing and Individual Equipment. However, the Army purchased a license for OCP from Crye, which is a Transitional pattern. In order to offer these new “Bookend” patterns for Woodland and Desert, the Army plans to tweak the colors themselves. Assuredly, they will use the information gleaned from the recently concluded camouflage mega-test to determine the most effective colorways for both patterns. This is a big win for the Army but not so much for the companies that participated in Phase IV.

There is no indication that the Army will “tweak” the colors of the current OCP for general purpose use. The colorway performed very well in combat in Afghanistan (and elsewhere) as well as in Phase IV testing. OCP will be the Principle camouflage pattern for the Army and it will be the pattern that Soldiers will wear day-to-day in garrison or combat. The bookend patterns will be will be integrated into CTA 50-900 and issued as needed. OCIE will be issued in the transitional OCP rather than the bookend patterns although it is not beyond the realm of possibility that select items will be made in those patterns. Additionally, certain units may be issued with OCIE in the bookend patterns.

Accessories

In the US Army photo above, you can Chief of Staff of the Army GEN Ray Odierno. He is checking out the new Army Physical Fitness Uniform. But that’s not what we are interested here. Instead, check out the boots on the manikin in the background. Notice the two pair of boots? Well that has been one of the biggest questions posed to us over the past few months. Earlier this year industry was informed that a new boot color was coming along with the new camouflage pattern. While a final decision has not been made, the Army does not want to reinvent the wheel on this but rather adopt a color that already exists.

Accessory colors have come down to two options. First is Tan 499 which is currently used with OCP as an accessory color for many items. The other option is the very popular Coyote. It has been noted through significant testing during the initial push of OCP in 09-10 that Coyote is a bit dark for use with the Transitional OCP. Conversely, Tan 499 has proven to work very well with the current Transitional variant but there is concern over its use with the Woodland Bookend pattern as it may be too light. What’s more, there aren’t currently any Tan 499 boots available. Our money is on a Coyote boot. It’s just too easy. Raw materials are readily available and several vendors already manufacture boots in Coyote for the Marine Corps and Navy.

These are Tan 499 (left) and Coyote (right) color chips from ITW which we first shared in 2010 when the Army had just adopted OCP and wanted to let you know what was going on.

What about T-shirts and Belts? For that, our bet is Tan 499. Expect Desert Tan to be phased out during the transition to the general issue OCP. Do not however, hold your breath for any changes to the Army Combat Uniform other than color. They aren’t going to change the pocket layout or add or subtract anything. That will cost money and the Army is trying to do this as inexpensively as possible.

Be aware, any and all of this is subject to change. We will update you as we learn more.

[Serge]

Et la toute dernière info :

What To Do With Billions Of Dollars Worth Of UCP TA-50? – UPDATED

UPDATE – And it’s cancelled. This is becoming comical.

I’ve written several articles about the US Army’s impending change from the ill-named Universal Camouflage Pattern to the newly renamed Operational Camouflage Pattern also known commercially as MultiCam by Crye Precision. I’ve even mentioned a plan to repurpose current stocks of UCP equipment such as MOLLE and IOTV covers to a new, more usable colorway. But how do you change the colors of billions of Dollars worth of equipment? The answer is simple; you dye it. Think of it as a means to cut their losses.

Earlier this year I began to hear reports that the Army had been working with a commercial vendor to develop a process to over dye UCP equipment with a shade of Brown in order to make it more compatible with OCP. Naturally, there are issues afoot here. For example, different materials are going to absorb the dye at different rates, and equipment exhibiting differing levels of wear will also absorb dye differently. In the end, it’s going to look rather interesting. It isn’t going to blend in so much as not clash, like traditional UCP would against OCP. Best case, it may end up somewhat resembling the brown-based UCP-Delta pattern tested in Afghanistan in 2009. Worst case? I shudder to imagine.

Specificaly, the Army has issued a Sources Sought Notice. Interested parties have until 20 December, 2013 to respond. The link to the notice is www.fbo.gov.

Subject: Request for Information to Over-dye Nylon Fabrics and Items

Project Manager Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment (PM-SPIE) of the Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060 is seeking information from potential industry partners to provide a technology solution to modify the camouflage pattern on current equipment. The potential development effort is to over-dye items and/or fabric comprised of nylon 500D and 1000D. Specific items include the Modular Lightweight Load carrying Equipment (MOLLE) and Improved Outer Tactical Vest (IOTV). Items are treated with water repellant, polyurethane, and fire retardant on some equipment. The objective is to modify the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) to more closely match the shade/color of Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage Pattern (OCP). Of particular interest are portable technologies that can be utilized outside of the manufacturing environment.

Where will it be used? Your guess is as good a mine. Assuredly, it will be issued to the training base so anyone who attends BCT, AIT, Ranger School or any other resident school that issues TA-50 will see this stuff for years to come. Incidentally, TA-50 gets its name from Common Table of Allowances 50-900, Clothing and Individual Equipment which authorizes items for issue based on duty position, unit of assignment or climatic zone. Some of these over duded items may also end up in the reserve components but there has already been some pushback from National Guard commanders who refuse to be looked at as a second class force with second class equipment after being so active over the past 12 years in the war effort. But, over time we will see attrition and replacement of this over dyed UCP. And, I want to mention that the most recent MOLLE contract was only for OCP and the Army has stopped purchasing MOLLE in UCP.

Some have pointed to recent articles published by the press regarding statements by Army spokesmen to suggest that my evidence that the Army is marching ahead with the camouflage change is incorrect. If so, why would the PEO Soldier put out a call to industry just this past week looking for firms that are capable of over dyeing TA-50 if they weren’t still planning to make the camouflage switch?

Modifié le 27 novembre 2013 par Serge

[syntaxerror9]

L'armée américaine aurait enfin choisi son camo, le scorpion:

http://www.armyrecognition.com/may_2014_global_defense_security_news_uk/united_states_army_has_chosen_new_camouflage_pattern_scorpion_for_its_combat_uniform_2805141.html

Modifié le 28 mai 2014 par syntaxerror9

[Conan le Barbare]

Sympa sans plus.

[Tonton Flingueur]

Très étonné qu'ils ne soient pas parti sur un camo digital.

 

Je le trouve sympatrique sinon (j'ai horreur des camo digitals), a voir a l'oeuvre. 

Modifié le 28 mai 2014 par Tonton Flingueur

[syntaxerror9]

Pareil, j'aime pas le digital et je doute de son efficacité.

Là, on revient au basic: des taches de différentes formes, de différentes couleurs. 

[TimTR]

Sans rentrer dans les détails à s'arracher les cheveux (il y a des quoi sur les uniformes US), le Scorpion est un camouflage qui avait été développé dés 2002 pour le programme Objective Force Warrior par Crye Precision. Elle n'avait pas été adopté l'époque et donc Crye a par la suite commercialisé une version légèrement différente et amélioré sous le nom de... Multicam qui a connu le succès que l'on sait.

Or l'US Army n'était semble t-il plus prêt à payer le coût d'achat des uniformes en multicam et a donc ressorti de ses cartons (avec 12 ans de retard) le camouflage d'origine du programme OFW dont elle est l'heureuse propriétaire.

 

Et effectivement, les camos digitaux semblent avoir traumatisé l'US army qui risque pas d'en re-choisir un de si tôt après la débâcle de l'UCP à dominante gris... 

 

Heureusement que c'est pas nos impôts.

http://kitup.military.com/2014/05/army-taps-scorpion-replace-ucp.html#more-28171

[Patrick]

Et effectivement, les camos digitaux semblent avoir traumatisé l'US army qui risque pas d'en re-choisir un de si tôt après la débâcle de l'UCP à dominante gris...

Ça n'a pas empêché nombre d'armées de par le monde d'en mettre partout (uniformes, véhicules, avions) pour faire post-moderne.

Modifié le 28 mai 2014 par Patrick

[vincenzo]

Sans rentrer dans les détails à s'arracher les cheveux (il y a des quoi sur les uniformes US), le Scorpion est un camouflage qui avait été développé dés 2002 pour le programme Objective Force Warrior par Crye Precision. Elle n'avait pas été adopté l'époque et donc Crye a par la suite commercialisé une version légèrement différente et amélioré sous le nom de... Multicam qui a connu le succès que l'on sait.

Or l'US Army n'était semble t-il plus prêt à payer le coût d'achat des uniformes en multicam et a donc ressorti de ses cartons (avec 12 ans de retard) le camouflage d'origine du programme OFW dont elle est l'heureuse propriétaire.

 

Et effectivement, les camos digitaux semblent avoir traumatisé l'US army qui risque pas d'en re-choisir un de si tôt après la débâcle de l'UCP à dominante gris... 

 

Heureusement que c'est pas nos impôts.

http://kitup.military.com/2014/05/army-taps-scorpion-replace-ucp.html#more-28171

c'est clair un gaspillage de pognon ahurissant, ils sont lachés le woodland pour le futuriste UCP gris pour revenir à un Woodland NG au final, c'est vraiment des barges avec leur folie tout technologie