Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform Explained

Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform
Origin:Australia
Type:Combat uniform
Service:2014 - present
Used By:Australian Defence Force
Designer:Defence Science and Technology Organisation
Design Date:2013
Manufacturer:Australian Defence Apparel
Bruck Textiles

The Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU) is the combat uniform camouflage pattern for the Australian Defence Force, general issued from 2014 onwards.[1] [2] The AMCU is replacing the previously used Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU) and Australian Multicam Pattern - Operational Combat Uniform (AMP-OCU) camouflage patterns.[3] [4]

The AMCU has the base pattern of the MultiCam camouflage pattern with a colour palette based on the Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform.[5] [6]

The AMCU became the official uniform of the Australian Army in late 2019, with DPCU discontinued and last issued in 2021.

History

In December 2009, the Special Operations Task Group (SOTG) serving in Afghanistan as part of Operation Slipper, after trialling the Multicam pattern uniform worn by United States and British special forces, recommended adopting the Crye Precision Combat Uniform (CPCU) as their operational uniform.[7] The SOTG trial found the uniform provided better concealment in urban, desert and alpine Afghan terrains over the current issue Disrupted Pattern Desert Uniform (DPDU) and was superior in terms of functionality and ergonomics.[8] [9] [10] In November 2010, the Minister for Defence Materiel announced that the CPCU would be issued to the Mentoring Task Force close-combatant elements to wear on patrols for a one-year trial.[11] [12] An urgent order for uniforms was placed with the United States manufacturer Crye Precision.

The DPDU had been designed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) in 2001 for the Afghan terrain.[13] [14] The initial DPDU pattern was a three-colour design which was urgently developed in six weeks and was produced with three days to spare. The DPDU was found to be too light and was improved by subsequent five-colour second and third iterations of the colour palette.[15] The Chief of the Army had earlier in May 2010 announced that there would be trial of a new uniform: the Disruptive Pattern Mid-Point Uniform (DPMP).[16]

In May 2011, the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) purchased a licence from Crye Precision to be able to manufacture uniforms in Australia for US$4.7 million and also paid US$3.1 million for development of an Australian version of the camouflage pattern the Australian Multicam Pattern (AMP).[17] [18] In 2012, an Australian produced uniform was issued the Australian Multicam Pattern - Operational Combat Uniform (AMP-OCU) based on Crye Precision's G3 uniform, made with a stronger fabric and unique Australian pattern which had been chosen from three test pattern designs.[19] [20] [21] The uniform was produced by Pacific Brands WorkWear Group using camouflage fabric produced by Bruck Textiles.

In 2013, the AMCU designed by the DSTO for terrain types in Australia and the immediate region, was trialled in northern Australia in grasslands, jungle, desert and shrub lands terrains by Diggerworks (part of DMO) and performed as well as or better than the DPCU and the AMP-OCU.[22] The AMCU colour palette uses six colours, five from the DPCU, and has an extra colour to enhance camouflage properties by day.[23]

The AMCU is manufactured by Australian Defence Apparel (ADA) using camouflage fabric produced by Bruck Textiles and has two variants: a field uniform and a combat uniform.[24] The AMCU had an initial release in October 2014 to the Army's 3rd Brigade which resulted in a number of minor amendments to the design with the final design roll out commencing in January 2016.

The introduction of the AMCU coincided with the introduction of the Soldier Combat Ensemble (SCE), which is being procured in AMCU, and consists of five elements: Ballistic Laser Ocular Protection (BLOPS), Tiered Combat Helmet (TCE), Combat Hearing Protection (CHP), Load Carriage Elements (LCE) and Protective Elements (PE).[25]

Similar camouflage patterns

Similar camouflage patterns to the AMCU include the British Army Multi-Terrain Pattern and the United States Army Operational Camouflage Pattern.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Wiseman. Cpl Nick. New look for soldiers. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1338. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 9 October 2014.
  2. Web site: Australia - Soldier Systems Daily | Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform Officially Launched . soldiersystems.net. 2015-02-14.
  3. News: Focused on the future. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1379. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 11 August 2016.
  4. Web site: Volume 14 | Major Improvements Announced under Australia's Land 125 Phase 3B . soldiermod.com. 2015-02-14.
  5. News: Defence Materiel Organisation . DMO delivers new generation combat uniform . DMO Bulletin . 1 . Department of Defence . 2015 . http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20151021011054/http://www.defence.gov.au/casg/NewsMedia/DMOBulletin/archive/2015-issue-1/DMO-delivers-new-generation-combat-uniform . 21 October 2015 . 10 August 2019 . live .
  6. Web site: Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU) Factsheet . Australian Army . September 2014 . 11 August 2019 . 9 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190409075630/https://www.army.gov.au/sites/g/files/net1846/f/amcu_factsheet.pdf . dead .
  7. News: Underwood. Anthony. New Combat Ensemble. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1249. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 25 November 2010.
  8. Minister for Defence Materiel. Clare MP. The Hon. Jason . Land Warfare Conference . Brisbane. 19 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110602025703/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/ClareSpeechtpl.cfm?CurrentId=11103 . 2 June 2011.
  9. News: Trial of new combat uniform extended to Aussie troops 'outside the wire' . Defence News . Department of Defence . 19 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101209010615/http://www.defence.gov.au/media/download/2010/Nov/20101119/index.htm . 9 December 2010.
  10. News: Juchniewicz. Maj Nathon. Combat upgrade. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1255. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 31 March 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110602035010/http://www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews/editions/1255/1255.pdf. 2 June 2011.
  11. News: Hetherington. Sgt Andrew. New combat cam trials extended. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1249. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 25 November 2010.
  12. New combat uniform makes troops job easier . Defence News . Department of Defence . 19 November 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101209010550/http://www.defence.gov.au/defencenews/stories/2010/Nov/1119.htm . 9 December 2010.
  13. Web site: Protective Clothing . DST . 16 December 2012 . Department of Defence . https://web.archive.org/web/20160403164535/http://www.dsto.defence.gov.au/node/196 . 3 April 2016.
  14. Combat clothing expert wins science award . Minister for Defence . MIN128/03 . http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20031112212512/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/Hilltpl.cfm?CurrentId=3181 . 12 November 2003 . 10 October 2003 . 10 August 2019 . live .
  15. News: Finney. Brig Graeme. Camouflage pattern in focus. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1334. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 14 August 2014.
  16. News: Look what you might be wearing. 14 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1237. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 10 June 2010.
  17. News: Multicam now Aus-made. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1294. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 8 November 2012.
  18. News: Blenkin . Max . New defence uniforms on the way . 10 August 2019 . The Sydney Morning Herald . AAP Defence . 30 May 2011.
  19. News: Hetherington. WO2 Andrew. Life-saving upgrades. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1319. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 5 December 2013.
  20. Web site: DPCU, DPDU and Multicam Crye Uniforms . Australian Army . https://web.archive.org/web/20120726010557/http://www.army.gov.au/Our-work/Equipment-and-clothing/Soldier-Combat-Ensemble/DPCU-DPDU-and-Multicam-Crye-Uniforms . 26 July 2012 . 10 August 2019.
  21. Clare MP . Hon. Jason . Minister for Defence Materiel – Australian made "MultiCam" uniforms on their way to Afghanistan . Minister for Defence . http://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20130329044949/http://www.minister.defence.gov.au/2012/10/22/minister-for-defence-materiel-australian-made-"multicam"-uniforms-on-their-way-to-afghanistan/ . 29 March 2013 . 22 October 2012 . 7 July 2022 . live .
  22. Web site: DSTO Annual Review 2013-14 . Defence Science and Technology Group . 11 August 2019.
  23. Marr . Lt. Col. Harry . AMCU . CONTACT Air Land & Sea . September 2016 . 51 . 13 August 2019 . Contact Publishing . Minnamurra . 1449-2385.
  24. Army launches next generation uniform . Australian Army . 22 September 2014.
  25. News: McLennan. Lt-Col Ben. Optimal Performance. 10 August 2019. Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper. 1369. Department of Defence. Canberra. 0729-5685. 24 March 2016.

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