I mean I get it that the Joes put these things through the ringer. But didn't we have these problems with the ACU introduction and the Army claimed it fixed them? According to PEO Soldier who sent us a statement on this, yes.
The new OCP uniforms are hot off the assembly line and made with Defender M flame-resistant fabrics. They're heavy weight and seem tightly stitched.
But a source tells Kit Up! that the material just wasn't holding up. This time it's not the stitching or the crotch design, it's the full-on fabric that's the problem. PEO has recently completed a crash program to source a new fabric that's about 40% stronger than current Defender M. They went outside the DLA track and are making about 100,000 uniforms until DLA can catch up.
After receiving feedback from the field that showed the recently-issued flame-resistant pants printed in the new Operation Enduring Freedom camo pattern weren’t holding up to the rigors of the Afghan environment, the Army quietly solicited samples from industry for fabrics that were strong enough to stand up the beating.After a series of lab tests and field trials with Soldiers at Fort Bliss, the Army selected a rip-stop fabric made with Rayon from Union City, Ga.-based TenCate.
“We found that this was about 40 percent stronger on average than our current fabrics in the OCP uniforms,” said a defense official with knowledge of the program.
But don't expect your new duds until at least October...gotta wait til the new fiscal year frees up some moolah.
Be sure the read the full story tomorrow morning at Military.com.
