The new Army Combat Pants will be tested this fall by soldiers in Afghanistan, Army officials said
Soldiers to test new Army Combat Pants
Service could field trousers in 2010
Army Times
Soldiers in Afghanistan will test the new Army Combat Pants, which are rugged trousers designed to stand up to the mountainous country’s jagged terrain.
The pants will be tested this fall, Army officials said. Program Executive Office Soldier began developing the new pants last spring after soldiers complained the standard and fire-resistant versions of the Army Combat Uniforms were wearing out too quickly during mountain operations.
“They were not designed for that kind of environment,” said Jeff Myhre, assistant product manager for Fire Resistant clothing. “Really the only way to get down [steep slopes] is slide down on their rear end, and sometimes when they are climbing, it’s foot-knee, foot-knee to get up to altitude.”
The current version of the ACP features built-in hard kneepads that can be adjusted up or down and side to side for comfort. The material is heavy, 7.3-ounce fire-resistant twill compared to the 6.5-ounce fire-resistant fabric in the fire-resistant ACUs.
The back pockets have flaps with Velcro fasteners rather than buttons that can easily rip off when soldiers slide down steep rock faces on their backsides, Myhre said.
The reinforced seat is designed to stretch for better range of motion, and the cargo pocket on the calf of the leg is larger to hold more mission-essential items, Myhre said.
The ACP prototypes have been through two soldier evaluations, one with the 75th Ranger Regiment and one with the West Virginia Army National Guard.
Rangers tested them while training on airborne, air assault and shoot-house operations. Mounted cavalry soldiers from the West Virginia Guard wore them while climbing in and out of vehicles during training.
Equipment officials are preparing to have soldiers evaluate about 3,000 pairs of the latest prototype this fall in Afghanistan.
The evaluation is slated to last 30 to 45 days.
“Barring any small incremental changes we will do to the pants … we will look to the Army to determine is there is a requirement” to field the ACP, Myhre said.
If all goes as planned, the Army could decide to field the ACP sometime in mid-2010.
Wild Thing’s comment……….
Any way they can improve on equipment and clothing for our troops I am all for it.
Velcro is not good for combat situations. That rrrrrrriippp can be heard for a hundred yards.
Those built in knee pads will come in handy when O”Vomit is servicing his fellow muslims.
Good point Tom, then Ka-pow. The brass is always trying to imporve on things that make no sense. How about and extra pair of BDUs, maybe on the house…er on Obama.
Interesting!!! If it ain’t broke don’t fix it!!! Someone(Murtha???) has a cousin-in-law in da bidness.
The troops get to be the guinea pigs eh?
We of the Vietnam era went over in the old cotton or the new jungle fabrics, the jungle fabric was too hot in hot weather and too damned cold in cold weather, if you didn’t experience both extremes over there you must have had an inside job.
Back home I wore Nomex every day for the last 11years on the job, hated it too, the damned stuff was prone to static electric discharge, great when your are working with explosive and flammable mixtures. Like the jungle fatigues they weren’t designed for weather comfort either and they chafed the skin. They did have one distinct advantage, after the flash fire and explosion, the bodies weren’t nearly as charred as those without Nomex. You still got burned inside them even though they were flame retardant. I can’t imagine how comfortable those knee pads are, having worn the strap on types that cut circulation when kneeling. God help us, McNamara policies have been reinstated. I’ll buy into it once every member of Congress is mandated to wear them on a daily basis. Spot on Tom and Mark, Islamobama will probably charge them for the new uniform as well. Smilin’ cuchieddie (DHS suspected terrorist)), now picture that, it isn’t hard to envision!!!
DAMMIT!!! I NEVER wore those kneepads even in basic. They were too heavy and restricted movement and The velcro is all but worn out on my ACU’s. I wish they would have kept the BDU fabric. I heard the Desert Uniforms were SO much better anyway.
By the way, I’ll take bloody knees and elbows anyday.
Tom, good point, yes I never heard silent
Velcro.
cuchieddie (DHS suspected terrorist)),
good motto to follow.
Mark, heh heh that is a good place to
put them.
Jack, after I posted this I showed it
to Nicholas and he said. no way. I asked
why, wasn’t it an improvement for the
troops and he said after wearing knees
pads for his stunt work for 44 years
he would never want this kind in the
photo in the post. He said right off
the top they won’t be as good as
what our troops already have.
JohnE PFC U.S. Army, thanks for
sharing about this.