As we’ve seen, the US Army is still in the midst of testing and analysing how to improve their soldiers’ camouflage uniform for use in Afghanistan – and beyond.  Meanwhile, it appears that the British have got on with the job and sorted out their own future camouflage requirements- with the help of Crye Precision.

According to information posted today on MilitaryPhotos.net by “SamHamam”:UK Armed Forces will be issued with combat clothing in a new camouflage optimised for operations in Afghanistan and across a wide range of environments.• It will be issued to all personnel deploying on Op HERRICK from March 2010 then issued more widely to the UK Armed Forces from 2011.• This is the first time the Armed Forces have changed to a new camouflage pattern in 40 years, operational effectiveness being the driver for change.• The camouflage is a multi-terrain pattern that, following extensive scientific trials, performs consistently well across a wide range of environments encountered both on current operations and worldwide.A wide range of camouflage colours were trialled in UK, Cyprus, Kenya and Afghanistan by Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU) with Dstl support. The trials consisted of Defence Clothing Team and Dstl generated camouflages compared with in-service and commercially available camouflages. The trials included visual comparisons, objective assessments of the time to detect the different camouflages against different backgrounds, and subjective user opinions on the efficacy of the performance. Crye’s Multicam® technology was found to be the best performing across the widest range of environments by a significant margin and was selected as the basis of the new UK camouflage – which also incorporates design elements of the traditional UK DPM pattern. The new hybrid camouflage is to be known as Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP).The pattern design has a US Patent and it has also been registered in the EU as owned by the MODUK. Any company that wishes to manufacture items in MTP for sales to individuals will need to obtain a license from MODUK to do so.Defence Internal Brief SERIAL: 2009DIB/52 DATE: 16 December 2009 – on Armynet – provides further details, if you are authorised access to Armynet.As you can see from the photo of the pattern that was included in the Brief, the pattern clearly shows its combined DPM and MultiCam heritage.  No official word yet on whether this pattern will also be used for field equipment – replacing the hybrid DPM pattern previously seen (see below) – but it would seem logical that it would. As further information and photographs surface, Strike-Hold! will keep you posted. *UPDATE*  According to SoldierSystemsDaily, Crye Precision have confirmed that they did in fact design the new pattern in partnership with the UK MoD.Interestingly, this could be yet another example of special operations forces leading the “Big Army”, as UKSF have been reportedly making widespread use of MultiCam clothing for a number of years now (as the photo below illustrates).