General Issue

Based on feedback from soldiers, Marines and Airmen, the Second Generation (Gen II) ECWCS was developed in the late 1990s, and was revolutionary in terms of design. Three of the items used in the previous system - the M65 liner and trousers, the polyester fiberpile shirt and overalls, and the snow camouflage parka - were excluded from the new system. Natick Labs decided to instead work on a more simple system that would not take up as much space in the user’s closet, lighten their load and provide optimal protection from the elements for prolonged periods of time. An insulating soft polyester fabric known as polar fleece - patented and owned by the outdoor company Polartec - would catch the Army’s attention. Polartec would end up being a major contributor to the development of the Gen II, and created a synthetic fleece shirt and overalls as one of the new items. This new system was designed to be lighter, more durable and with better insulation and breathability to protect against the ...

IMPROVED OUTER TACTICAL VEST (IOTV) Specifications Developed: 2006-2007 In service: Late 2007-present Patterns: UCP (2007-2019), OEF-CP (2011-2019), OCP (2019-present) Materials: Cordura, Kevlar, Twaron, Spacer mesh fabric Weight: 31.87 pounds (with all plates and components)  Sizes: 11 (X-Small through XXXX-Large) While the Interceptor Body Armor and the Outer Tactical Vest were considered fairly effective, questions were raised over whether or not they were the best possible armor for American soldiers and Marines. This debate was heightened by controversy over Dragon Skin, produced by the now defunct Pinnacle Armor. It was presented as superior to the previous systems of body armor fielded by the Army and Marines, with its supporters claiming it was the best possible armor and outperformed the IBA. To support their argument, a retired Marine colonel spoke to the media claiming that Dragon Skin was better than other systems. In the spring of 2006, PEO Soldier’s PM Soldier Equip...

ADVANCED COMBAT HELMET (ACH) Origin: United States Users: US Army , Air Force Security Forces In service: 2002-present Replaced: PASGT Ground Troops & Parachutists Helmet Designer: US Army Soldier Systems Center Manufacturer(s) : ArmourSource, Gentex, MKU Sizes: Small, Medium, Large, X-Large Weight: 3 pounds, 2.5 pounds (Gen II model) Camo: Woodland, DCU, UCP, UCP-D (trial), OEFCP, OCP The PASGT helmet , though an improvement over the older M1 steel pot helmet, still had its downsides; it protected only against fragmentation and shrapnel and not small arms, and was uncomfortable to wear, with soldiers often having to constantly readjust it in the field. Research into a possible replacement into the PASGT helmet began in the late 1990s under a program run by the US Special Operations Command (SOCOM). Special forces operators preferred to use other helmets, especially the ‘bump’ helmets similar to the ones that were popular amongst skateboarders. This was because they were compa...

By the 1970s and early 1980s, the American military was using several different garments to provide soldiers protection from the elements: the iconic M65 'Fishtail' Parka and the M65 Field Jacket and Trousers, as well as a wool shirt, the Wet weather parka, or ‘rainsuit’, and the Snow Parka. They had more or less been standard issue for nearly two decades, with the M65 Fishtail parka and field jacket being in use since the mid-1960s. Soldiers would often buy commercial gear from companies like Eddie Bauer, Marmot or the North Face, with the olive Mountain Parka being especially popular. Not many advances in the field of layered protective clothing had been made by the 1960s and 1970s, so these vintage items were retained. During the Korean War , the US suffered many casualties due to the extreme cold. A variety of different and improvised cold weather gear was worn, with soldiers fighting in freezing temperatures to prevent the North Koreans from overrunning the Korean Penins...