Army uniform officials recently wrapped up tests in which 900 soldiers completed a digital picture survey of camouflage patterns that could replace the service's Universal Camouflage Pattern.
The surveys are part of Phase IV of the Army's camouflage improvement effort, Col. Bill Cole, of Project Manager Soldier Protection and Individual Equipment, said Oct. 6 at a Pentagon round-table with reporters.
It's a computerized survey where they look at the camouflage patterns and we have 45 different environments, Cole said. They looked at all of them in each one and rated them ... and we are crunching the data right now.
Uniform officials plan to brief senior leaders on the results at the end of the month. The Army continues to be tight-lipped about the effort, but the service could end up with four civilian industry patterns and one government pattern to handle environments such as woodland/jungle, desert and a "transitional," which could mean garrison UCP or urban scheme.
The Army also wants a universal pattern for body armor and other equipment, so soldiers wouldn't have to change out their kit from one environment to the next. Rangers units, for some time, have worn equipment in a shade known as "Ranger green." And Marines chose coyote brown to wear with its woodland and desert camo uniforms.
Uniform officials maintain the program is on track.
We are really happy with the way it's going, Cole said. We got a strong response from industry and good feedback from soldiers.
Time will tell.
