Soldier Systems has just gone live with the post we’ve all been waiting for on this camouflage conundrum.
The Natick camo study (2007-2009) results have finally been *officially* released to the press, and are interesting to say the least.
Update: Here’s a link to the entire Natick Photosimulation Camouflage Detection Test
Natick testers have released a chart showing how the patterns rank by environment.
If you’ve been wondering, as we have, what Desert Brush Camo and Syrian Camo truly look like, here are the Natick test images.
Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, gave the Army until Sept. 30 to find a new camo pattern to replace the ineffective UCP. As reported earlier, the Army will soon pit UCP “Delta” against Crye Multicam in an attempt to find a solution.
Natick is the U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center (SSC), located in Natick, Massachusetts. it’s the Army’s one-stop Soldier-support organization responsible for researching, developing, fielding, and managing food, clothing, shelters, airdrop systems, and Soldier support items.
{ 12 comments… read them below or add one }
Congress is great, innit? They mandate that the service find another uniform, but don’t fund it. Buncha assclowns on the Hill.
It’s interresting that the tigerstripe and rhodesian patterns weren’t also tested.
These were highly rated by the USMC snipers in their pattern evaluation before deciding to recolour the Cadpat.
I would also have rated plain colour uniforms to get a baseline.
I’ve used the British camo(brush stroke)WWII SAS/SBS windproof smock & pants set dated 1944 and it worked well in Europe (Germany & England) and in North America except in snow or straight sand. It blended well in mountains, high desert areas (ie Utah & Nevada), slews, grass lands and forests during spring, summer and fall. This was with visual observations, not with all the hi tech detectors used now.
Just my experences.
Wow, I love how they demonstrated each of those camo patterns against a wall. Is that what what it’s like over there? The whole environment is a wall? How about we try all those patterns and see how well they show up. Guarantee that the MULTI-CAM holds up better than the others. I’ve tried it, I’ve seen it used….it works. GO WITH IT!!!!
They should try out the Australian DPCU and DPDU patterns. If you havn’t seen these patterns there worth having a look at.
The wall photos are to provide a baseline. The rest of the simulation takes place in various locations that would be experienced tactically.
The best camo for the sandbox is a white terry cloth robe, a full beard and a Depends……worn on the head.
That’s what the “enemy” wears and they can’t seem to find them
Amurkastan
Idiocracy.
What was wrong with the Woodland Pattern BDU? Also, the German Africa Corps solid uniforms in 1941, were superior to the current UCP! Somebody in congress stands to make a lot of money over this deal! Just go back to the BDU and DCU and be done with it!
I’m surprised Mossy Oak was included in this test. As well-marketed as it might be, it is far too dark to be an effective pattern (as I think the wall picture comparison illustrates). At range, the wearer stands out to the human eye as a dark/black blob even in a woodland setting. Even from a hunting perspective, Mossy Oak is about as effective as wearing a solid color at distance. But obviously the marketing is working well for them. Realtree is a more effective commerical pattern. Also, I notice that British DPM was not tested. Many would argue this is superior camo pattern to Chinese or French (or, for that matter, BDU).
All those patterns suk – i can see the soldier in every pic….
One thing that I found to be funny was that the Iraqi camouflage was ranked worst in the Desert category and was only middle of the road in the Urban category as well. Living basically their entire lives in desert and urban environments one would think that Saddam and his military planners would have noticed the glaring inadequacy of their troops uniforms in providing camouflage for the terrain that they were operating in. Just saying.
@Thomas Rios:
If you take only a minute to look at the Iraq uniform, they are BDU’s…probably surplus the army has in it’s warehouses all over the place. $10 says they got each pair for a US$1 a piece.
I’m in the army at fort campbell and we’re getting issued the Multicam hopefully in a week. GOD I CAN’T WAIT.
I’m telling you man…if we get Multicam my espirit de corp will probably be through the roof, I love the concealment of that uniform and it just plain looks good.
As it stands now, I’ll probably fade out (like the color swash of the UCP currently) of the Army as I got 2 years left.