ARMY COMBAT UNIFORM The Army Combat Uniform, or ACU, is a new combat uniform (battledress) to be worn by the United States Army. It uses a new camouflage pattern called universal camouflage pattern, or UCP (commonly called ACUPAT, or even ARPAT), blending green, tan, and gray to work effectively in woodland, desert, and urban environments. Similar to USMC MARPAT and Canadian CADPAT camouflage schemes, the pattern design is based on research into Dual Texture (Dual-Tex) Camouflage conducted in the 1970's [1]. It also features numerous design improvements based on input from soldiers. The process of replacing the Army's current BDU "woodland" pattern (used since 1981) with the ACU was to begin in April 2005; however, the process actually began two months earlier through the Rapid Fielding Initiative and is scheduled to be completed by December 2007. Currently, multiple camouflage patterns and caps are in use at Army posts. The ACU and its component materials will be manufactured by the existing industrial infrastructure in the U.S., which produces the current battle dress uniform. MARPAT MARPAT has patterns produced by highly complex fractal equations that result in a non-repeating pattern. The purpose of the digitized pattern is to match the visual texture of typical backgrounds. When compared to a white background the MARPAT does look surprising and would seem to catch attention, but when used in an operative environment, its textured appearance and lack of hard edges make it more effective than traditional patterns. There are three MARPAT patterns: Woodland, Desert, and Urban. As of 2004, the woodland and desert patterns are used by the Marine Corps, but the urban pattern was never approved. As I understand correctly the ACU is a allrounder for desert, urban and woodland combat areas, that´s quite impressive, but shouldn´t the Marine´s Desert MARPAT be more effective in a desert combat zone, coz it s development was focused only on this climate zone, while they had to make a compromise with the ACU to use it in three different zones ? Maybe I´m influenced by the traditional look of a desert combat uniform with beige/drab, light tan, pale green, and/or brown, but I would prefer the MARPAT (desert) ACU -Allrounder ?! In Combat MARPAT (desert) Regards, Che.
It certainly looks very impressive against backgrounds that are composed of mostly light brown. I imagine that if they have decided that it works well in all terrains that it would do so, but I would like to see a picture of soldiers using it set against a rather greener backdrop.
The Army wants a camo pattern that can be applied to all uniform and accessory items. If the design works, it will make logistics much easier as the quartermaster units won't have to worry about having three or four camo patterns to keep in inventory. You can go to Iraq today and to Africa tomorrow with the same gear. It also reduces the different camo uniforms a soldier will have to store in his locker.
Me too, however I can not imagine that such a allrounder for two totally different enviroments could replace the MARPAT pattern, which was specially developed for this, for example, desert theatre. Probably they had to make compromises to achieve such a allrounder, you know, the ACU works well in both theatres, but the MARPAT works perfect in its special combat zone ?! Allright that seems to be a good point, but (hate this word^^) it took some time to prepare a military Op, so this includes even the supply of uniforms. I don´t know the exact sit. in Iraq, if the enviroments (desert/urban) change so rapidly (during a fight) that it is necassary to use such a allrounder and that these zones are so different at all (If I think of Iraq, I see drab). So the only thing that comes to my mind would be change of zones, (green zone in Bagdad, beige houses in sadr city, sand in the desert), you know that they are not to visible in their desert pattern while they are operating near the tigris or in a palmtree plantation. I can´t still imagine that such a allrounder is feasible ?! Even I wounder how this NIR-technology works and how it looks through the night vision Regards, Che.
The allrounder idea may not work. It is certainly asking a lot of a camo patter to suit many environments. If the pattern does work, it makes issuing supplies much easier. Take into account the ruck sacks, canteen covers, body armor, tents, jackets, etc that have to be issued along with the standard combat uniform. How many woodland pattern accessories have we seen in Iraq due to supply shortages? With one pattern you don't have to worry about shortages. The new Army pattern does seem to work fairly well in urban environments and the Army is looking to invest a lot of time and effort to re-train itself to fight in towns and cities. As the world becomes more and more urbanized, this is probably a good idea for the future.
Woop, are there different types of the ACU. I just wonder, coz some patterns seems to include white as camo and some instead are sandcoloured. Might this be an illusion ? Regards, Che.
That one looks like they just printed it off from a computer with the graphics set on low! So many pixels!
Now making the apearance in aviation too: Slovakian MiG-29's: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=125883
It will be a headache for modellors though I'd guess it works because areas of colour in the real world are mixed and fragmented - traditional camoflages have quite broad areas of colour with obvious seperation which are unrealistic. This 'digital' scheme gives smaller areas with fragmented edges.
Why is digital so suitable as a camouflage? what makes it better then the streaks of the old wood land type. what does the british army use for camo?
