According to Military.com, the Marine Corps are looking to upgrade their Combat Utility Uniform. Officials believe that this move can potentially save the service millions of dollars and also provide its wearers with better protection in the field.
The Marine Corps currently have two utility uniforms that they wear including a digital-patterned combat utility uniform and flame-resistant organizational gear known as the FROG combat uniform.
While one is designed to camouflage a Marine, the other is flame-resistant and expensive. Hence why the Marine Corps Systems Command is on the lookout for uniforms that provides both of the benefits at lower costs.
“A single-issued uniform with these protection properties will allow the Marine Corps to focus on optimizing funds and streamline the acquisition process while providing maximum protection and comfort to its servicemembers,” Marine Corps Systems Command states.
While next-gen uniforms will look the same, design-wise, new options are being considered to save money while retaining the essential functionality of both the FROG and Combat Utility Uniforms.
“Value is in a reduction of the logistic burden of maintaining separate FROG combat uniforms,” Kelly Flynn who is with the command said. “The Marine Corps expects a cost saving of a few million dollars due to not having to buy replacement FROGs.”
Over 100 fabric samples are currently being examined, while ensuring the cost is below $105.60, officials stated.
“The preeminent goal of the Marine Corps is to modify the existing Marine Corps combat utility uniform in order to provide a durable uniform to every Marine that provides fire-resistant protection and spectral mitigation properties across visual, near infrared, and Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) wavebands without a significant increase in cost,” the request for information states.
