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Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU)

September 2014

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Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU)

Features factsheet

Combat shirt features

• Highcollarinwovenfabricwithzipclosure.

• Knitfabricbodywithnopocketstoallowforcomfortunderbodyarmour.

• Integratedelbowpad.

• Wovenfabricraglansleeves.

• AngledsleevepocketswithVelcroclosure.

• Velcroadjustmenttabsatcuffs.

• Penpocketonleftsleeve.

Combat pant features

• Stretchwovenfabricinbackyoke(belowwaistband),crotchandaroundknee.

• Adjustablewaistwithadvanceddesign.

• Paddedwaistband.

• Buttonandzipfrontflyclosure.

• Reinforcedsaddleseat.

• Integratedkneepad.

• Kneepadissnuglyheldincorrectlocationusingelasticisedcordadjustment (connectstofrontthighpockets)andVelcroclosuretabsatthesideoftheknee.

• 2sidethighpocketswithzipclosure.

• 2lowerfrontthighpockets(external–containstoggleandelasticiseddrawcord forkneepadadjustment)withVelcroclosure.

• 2frontpocketsbelowwaistband(internal).

• 2lowerlegpocketswithVelcroclosure.

• Cordandcordlockadjustmentatcuffs.

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Field shirt features

• BasedonthecurrentDPCUshirt.

• Nearinfrared(NIR)fabric.

• 5buttonclosureatthecentrefront.

• Chestpocketswithzipclosure.

• Sleevepocketswithbuttonclosure.

• Shortercoatlengththancurrentshirt.

• Velcroadjustmenttabsatcuffs.

• Rankslideatchest.

• Increasedwidthatcoathemcomparedtocurrentshirt.

• Gradedsleevelength.

Field pant features

• Stretchwovenfabricinbackyoke(belowwaistband)andcrotch.

• Buttonandzipfrontflyclosure.

• Adjustablewaistwithadvanceddesign.

• Paddedwaistband.

• IntegratedkneepadwithVelcroclosuretab.

• 2sidethighpocketswithzipclosure.

• 2frontpocketsbelowwaistband(internal).

• Cordandcordlockadjustmentatcuffs.

www.army.gov.au Page 4

Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform (AMCU)

Q&A factsheet

Why does Army need a new uniform?

Armyidentifiedtheneedforenhancedcombatuniformswhichuseamulti-terraincapablecamouflageforlandclosecombatoperations,allotherlandoperations,fieldtraining,aswell asadressofthedayuniform.

TheuniformisakeyelementoftheAustralianArmy’sidentity.Itrepresentsourorganisation, ourcultureandourpeople.Byinvestingincontinuousdevelopmentandmodernisationof theuniform,weinvestinoursoldiers.

How and why was the AMCU pattern chosen?

Observationsfromtheuseofcombatuniformsonoperations,combinedwiththedesignlessonslearntfromtheuseofDPCU,haveinformedthenextgenerationofcombatuniformsforusedomesticallyandoverseas.

TheAMCUismadefromanewhybridpatternandcolourpalettethatcombinesthepatternfeaturesoftheAustralianMulticamPatternwiththecolourpaletteusedfortheDisruptivePatternCamouflageUniform.

TheAMCPwasdevelopedasaresultofaperformanceofaDefenceScienceTechnologyOrganisationdesignedprototypepatternduringacomparativeDiggerworkstrialagainstcurrentuniformsinFebruary2013.

Thetrialwasconductedinregionalterraintypesincludingtropicaljungle,grasslandandgeneralscrubenvironments.TheAMCUwasfoundtoperformasgoodas,ifnotbetterthan,currentcamouflagepatternsduringthedayandequivalentlyatnight.

What are the key features of the AMCU?

Combat Uniform.Designedforuseunderbodyarmour,ithasintegratedelbow/kneepads,stretchfabricinkeystressareas(groin,kneesandlowerback)andmultiplepockets.

Field Uniform.Kneepadscanbeincorporatedifnecessary,butthenumberofpocketshasbeenreducedtomaketheuniformlighterandcoolertowear.Thepantsincorporatestretchfabricinkeystressareas(groinandlowerback).

Formoreinformation,seethefeaturesfactsheet.

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When and how will soldiers receive the AMCU?

Townsville’s3rdBrigadeisthefirsttoreceivethenewuniformfromOctober2014.Itwillberolledouttofulltimepersonnelfirst.Otherunitsandlocationswillbeissuedthenewuniformoverthecomingyears,dependentonproductionrates.Afinalchangeoverdatewillbeconfirmedinduecourse.

How many sets will be issued to each soldier?

Therewillbeaninterimissueschedulefortheinitialrollout.ThiswillincludeclosecombattroopsreceivingtwosetsofcombatAMCUandthreesetsoffieldAMCU.OthersoldierswillbeissuedwiththreesetsoffieldAMCU.

AllpersonnelwillbeissuedwithoneAMCUbushhat,onebelt,onesetofrankslidesandsufficientnametagsaspartoftheinitialAMCUissue.

Will the AMCU be authorised as ‘dress of the day’?

TheAMCUwillgraduallyreplaceDPCUas‘dressoftheday’foroperationaldutiesandgeneralbaseduties,exceptforofficebasedunitswherenon-combatdressuniformsare‘dressoftheday’.

Specialistworkingdressprovidedforspecificemploymentcategoriessuchasaircrew,tankcrews,cateringstaff,medicalanddentalwillcontinuetobeworn.

Non-combatdressuniformsremainthemostappropriateformofdressinanumberofcircumstances,includingallrepresentationalandceremonialactivities.

Where is the AMCU made?

ArmyispleasedtopartnerwithAustralianmanufacturersfortheAMCU.SupportingAustralianmanufacturingbuildsontheestablishedrelationshipbetweentheArmyandtheAustraliancommunity.

What is the cost of the AMCU?

ThefullcostofintroducingandimplementingtheAMCUacrossArmyisnotyetconfirmed,however,wedoanticipateitwillcomeatahighercostthanthecurrentDPCU.

TheadditionalmanufacturingtimeassociatedwiththenewdesignfeaturesofbothversionsofAMCUwillgenerateahigherperunitcostthantheDPCU.Importantly,weareprovidingoursoldierswithauniformthatisbothflexibleandcapableacrossmulti-terrainenvironments,manufacturedbyAustraliancompanies.