According to Military.com, the U.S. Air Force has recently unveiled the design of their new Physical Training (PT) uniforms.
The service has earlier this week announced that it will begin producing the PT gear and uniforms that are in line with modern high-performance athletic wear.
The Air Force also mentioned that this is the first redesign of their Physical Training gear in over 16 years.
“Our main requirement … was to develop a PT uniform that people really wanted to wear and is as good as if not better than commercially available athletic wear,” Tracy Roan, chief of the Air Force Uniform Office, said in the release. The office is part of the Agile Combat Support Directorate’s Human Systems Division.
According to the news release, over 150 airmen have participated in the PT uniform trial wear.
It was also reported that the center will begin phasing the new uniform in 2022 and will make it mandatory for wear within a 4-year transition period.
Airmen will be given pants, jackets, t-shirts, and shorts that are made of soft, quick-drying, and antimicrobial fabrics that will help with odor and moisture control.
“With the ‘notorious’ track jacket, we’ve made updates to the fabric to minimize the noise it makes during workouts,” said 2nd Lt. Maverick Wilhite, the office’s program manager for PT gear.
“The jacket will be sleeker-looking, so instead of having a bulky jacket, you’ll have a fit and tailored design,” Wilhite said in the release. “In addition, the jacket will have a zipper chest pocket for holding things like your common access card.”
Earlier in 2018, a few mockups with a sleeker designer were featured in a leaked presentation.
“In the past, there was one uniform for all athletic pursuits, whether you were running, playing basketball, or lifting weights,” said Col. Paul Burger, 88th Air Base Wing mission support group commander, who helped test the new uniform. “The approach the Air Force has now taken is to develop a uniform that is earmarked for runners or running, and one that is better designed for some of those other athletic activities.”
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