Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform

Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform
Closeup of the AMCU pattern
TypeCombat uniform
Place of originAustralia
Service history
In service2014 - present
Used byAustralian Defence Force
Production history
DesignerDefence Science and Technology Organisation
Designed2013
ManufacturerAustralian 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 replaced the 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.[citation needed]

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][8] 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.[9][8][10][11][12] 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.[9][13] An urgent order for uniforms was placed with the United States manufacturer Crye Precision.[9]

The DPDU had been designed by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) in 2001 for the Afghan terrain.[14][15] The initial DPDU pattern was a three-colour design which was urgently developed in six weeks and was produced with three days to spare.[14][12] The DPDU was found to be too light and was improved by subsequent five-colour second and third iterations of the colour palette.[12] 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.[17][19][20][21] The uniform was produced by Pacific Brands WorkWear Group using camouflage fabric produced by Bruck Textiles.[21]

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.[6][12][22][3] 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][3][6] 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.[3][23]

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

References

  1. ^ Wiseman, Cpl Nick (9 October 2014). "New look for soldiers" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1338 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Australia - Soldier Systems Daily | Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform Officially Launched". soldiersystems.net. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d "Focused on the future" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1379 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 11 August 2016. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Volume 14 | Major Improvements Announced under Australia's Land 125 Phase 3B". soldiermod.com. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  5. ^ Defence Materiel Organisation (2015). "DMO delivers new generation combat uniform". DMO Bulletin. No. 1. Department of Defence. Archived from the original on 21 October 2015. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  6. ^ a b c "Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU) Factsheet" (PDF). Australian Army. September 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 9 April 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  7. ^ Underwood, Anthony (25 November 2010). "New Combat Ensemble" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1249 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  8. ^ a b Clare MP, The Hon. Jason (19 November 2010). Minister for Defence Materiel (Speech). Land Warfare Conference. Brisbane. Archived from the original on 2 June 2011.
  9. ^ a b c Hetherington, Sgt Andrew (25 November 2010). "New combat cam trials extended" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1249 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Trial of new combat uniform extended to Aussie troops 'outside the wire'". Defence News. Department of Defence. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010.
  11. ^ Juchniewicz, Maj Nathon (31 March 2011). "Combat upgrade" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1255 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2011.
  12. ^ a b c d Finney, Brig Graeme (14 August 2014). "Camouflage pattern in focus" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1334 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  13. ^ "New combat uniform makes troops job easier". Defence News (Press release). Department of Defence. 19 November 2010. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010.
  14. ^ a b "Protective Clothing". DST. Department of Defence. 16 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Combat clothing expert wins science award". Minister for Defence (Press release). 10 October 2003. Archived from the original on 12 November 2003. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  16. ^ "Look what you might be wearing" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1237 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 10 June 2010. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  17. ^ a b "Multicam now Aus-made" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1294 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. 8 November 2012. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  18. ^ Blenkin, Max (30 May 2011). "New defence uniforms on the way". The Sydney Morning Herald. AAP Defence. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  19. ^ Hetherington, WO2 Andrew (5 December 2013). "Life-saving upgrades" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1319 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ "DPCU, DPDU and Multicam Crye Uniforms". Australian Army. Archived from the original on 26 July 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  21. ^ a b Clare MP, Hon. Jason (22 October 2012). "multicam"-uniforms-on-their-way-to-afghanistan/ "Minister for Defence Materiel – Australian made "MultiCam" uniforms on their way to Afghanistan". Minister for Defence (Press release). "multicam"-uniforms-on-their-way-to-afghanistan/ Archived from the original on 29 March 2013. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  22. ^ "DSTO Annual Review 2013-14" (PDF). Defence Science and Technology Group. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  23. ^ a b Marr, Lt. Col. Harry (September 2016). "AMCU" (PDF). CONTACT Air Land & Sea. No. 51. Minnamurra: Contact Publishing. ISSN 1449-2385. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
  24. ^ "Army launches next generation uniform". Australian Army (Press release). 22 September 2014.
  25. ^ McLennan, Lt-Col Ben (24 March 2016). "Optimal Performance" (PDF). Army: The Soldiers' Newspaper (1369 ed.). Canberra: Department of Defence. ISSN 0729-5685. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
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