Modern Desert uniforms question

Post by **aferguson** » Sat May 07, 2005 5:34 pm

ok,well since i made such a botch of my LAV/SAW question here's another. What, if any, is the difference in the camo pattern between the US Army desert uniform and the US Marines desert uniform. Also, who wears the brown on brown (no green in it) desert uniform as seen on the driver that comes with the BBI Super Humvee and on the Power Team figures that came with the 155mm Howitzer. I've seen this camo pattern on soldiers but now i'm not sure who wears it...

thanks again.

Gunner · Post by **Gunner** » Sat May 07, 2005 8:09 pm

The USMC wear what is known as MARPAT, or Marine Pattern Camo. It's completely digitized. The Marines have a patent, and NO, YOU @#$%ing ARMY PUKES CAN'T USE IT. THE PRESIDENT CAN'T MAKE US SHARE!

There's a desert one, an urban one (black, grey and white) and a woodland one, in case we have to fight the Russkies, I guess, or maybe for when they plant a billion trees in Baghdad...

Here's the official site...
http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/sites/ ... attern.asp

There's also a Canadian version called CANPAT...

Post by **aferguson** » Sat May 07, 2005 9:06 pm

yeah, that's like the camo on the Power Team and BBI figures i was talking about. Are they being worn in Iraq now? If so how quickly is the older camo uniform (which i believe is the splotchy tan/brown/ pale green) being phased out?

Post by **aferguson** » Sun May 08, 2005 5:56 am

Also, if the marines are unwilling to share their digital design with the army then why doesn't the army just develop it themselves? The Canadian armed forces were the first to develop digital camouflage and patented it. The Marines simply tweeked it a bit to get around patent laws and patented their version, so the US Army could do the same.

Apparently a person wearing digital pattern camo is 40% less likely to be spotted at 200m vs. wearing olive drab (granted o.d. is not great camouflage).

Here's some interesting reading on it:

http://www.hyperstealth.com/CADPAT-MARPAT.htm

airforcecop67 · Post by **airforcecop67** » Sun May 08, 2005 7:53 am

Some Marines that I worked with in Kuwait in 03 were wearing the new MarPat uniform and they liked it alot. All the AF and a few of the Marines were wearing the standard Desert BDU. The MarPat is a darker uniform, almost brown, and blends better in a darker environment (shaded areas, rubble piles, dusk & dawn) than the Desert BDU, and is also better at longer ranges. I have only seen the new Army uniform in pictures. I have read that the Woodland and Desert BDU's will be considered obsolete for USMC wear in 08, and all Marines will wear only the Desert or Woodland MarPat . I believe the "urban" pattern has been dropped completely.

The problem with the MarPat is that while it is a highly effective uniform, it has given birth to a whole new "we need a distinct look too" mindset in the U.S. Military, and now every branch of service wants it own uniform. The AF is looking at a bluish tiger stripe pattern that is so visible that it will only be worn stateside, and cannot be used in forward deployed locations. Hell, you may as well wear blaze orange with the words "Here I am, Please shoot me!" in Flourescent Pink! Thats how visible the uniform is.

http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/airforce ... niform.htm

The Navy is looking at what can only be described as an "urban" type pattern, again, heavy on blue and grey that screams "Im an extra from a SciFi channel "B" movie.......Please Shoot Me! Now I love the SciFi Channel and "B" movies, but I dont want Navy to look like them.

http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,1 ... 04,00.html

Here is the proposed Army Uniform.

http://www4.army.mil/ocpa/read.php?story_id_key=6042

The bottom line is that with each service having seperate uniforms, the taxpayers are going to foot the bill, and the supply chain gets heavily burdened not to mention the poor troops that have to maintain all the different sets. When you consider work vs. inspection vs. deployment vs. dress uniforms etc. the wall locker and seabag are gonna be bursting at the seams.

I wont even go into the problem of friendly versus enemy recognition. If he aint dressed like me and my friends, he must not be a "friend" and he gets shot.

The upshot, at least for the miniature makers is that they will get massive repaint potential out of each figure mold! Maybe that will entice them to make more figures

Post by **aferguson** » Sun May 08, 2005 10:05 am

boy that new army uniform is funky looking...

It would certainly have made sense for all the US services to pool resources and design THE best camouflage possible and all services wear it. Saves money, logistics and everyone is as well concealed as possible. Inter service rivalries are fine when it comes to sports etc but not cool when it comes to combat efficiency and saving lives.