Deployed Airmen wearing the Airman Battle Uniform The Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) is the new service-distinctive camouflage battle dress uniform for the United States Air Force. It is currently in full production and is expected to completely replace the Battle Dress Uniform by Fiscal Year 2011.[1] Elizabeth Thomas, eli@eli-nati. ...
Elizabeth Thomas, eli@eli-nati. ...
This article is about protective camouflage used to disguise people, animals, or military targets. ...
Battle Dress was the specific title of a military uniform adopted by the British Army in the late 1930s and worn until the 1960s. ...
“The U.S. Air Force†redirects here. ...
Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) in the United States was the standard military uniform worn into combat, battledress as opposed to display dress uniforms worn at parades and functions. ...
2011 (MMXI) will be a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
History
The first prototype of the ABU was unveiled in the summer of 2003, based on the Vietnam-era tiger stripe pattern.[2] The early uniform prototypes consisted of trousers, an embroidered undershirt, and a blouse. The camouflage pattern, developed by Tiger Stripe Products and based upon their popular copyrighted Original Vietnam Tiger Stripe™ was a blue/grey, tiger stripe pattern. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Tigerstripe is the name of a group camouflage patterns developed for close range use in dense jungle enviroments (jungle warfare). ...
After months of "wear testing," Air Force officials revised the color scheme and camouflage pattern due to feedback received from Airmen. The new elementary semi-pixelated tiger pattern would trade its dominant blue overtones for a more subdued palette, which still includes some blue tones.[3] However few of the functional recommendations made by Airmen in the field were implemented into the uniform which remains very similar in makeup to the older BDU style uniforms. [4] This has been a subject of many complaints from Airmen returning from duty in Iraq and Afganistan whom had been wearing the U.S. Army-issued Army Combat Uniform (ACU) as a temporary issue uniform. These compliants include the ABU's inability to keep Airmen cool while working in desert conditions due to the thickness of the material and large interior pockets, lack of storage space and the low ease of use with government issue personal body armor. While not officially recommended, USAF Airmen can cut the pockets out of the inside of the blouse because it does not alter the outer appearance of the uniform. Two soldiers wearing the ACU, as well as ACU-patterned patrol cap (left) and boonie hat (right). ...
In October 2007 the Air Force began issuing the ABU to enlisted trainees in Basic Military Training at Lackland AFB, and it is expected to become available for purchase by all Airmen shortly after this. It has also been issued on a more limited basis to Airmen being deployed to locations in the Middle East. The ABU has already arrived at some Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) military clothing stores. Although the Air Force has officially recognized color variations in different set of ABUs, all variations are currently authorized to wear and the problem should be fixed when the patterns are finalized within a year. The current projected mandatory wear date for the new ABU is currently slated for 2011.[5] To meet Wikipedias quality standards and appeal to a wider international audience, this article may require cleanup. ...
Lackland Air Force Base is a base of the United States Air Force located to the west of San Antonio, Texas, USA. It is the main entry processing station (Basic Training)/(Basic Military Instruction) for Air Force recruits. ...
The Army and Air Force Exchange Service (AAFES) mission is to provide quality merchandise and services of necessity and convenience to authorized customers at uniformly low prices; and generate reasonable earnings to supplement appropriated funds for the support of US Army and US Air Force Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Programs. ...
Features/Attributes The Airman Battle Uniform is similar to the Army Combat Uniform (or ACU) in color, with the inclusion of blue, but is far more similar to the current BDU in layout. The ABU is to be worn with low-maintenance foliage green suede combat boots, although tan suede will be allowed until the mandatory foliage green boot phase-in date. Desert boots may be worn with the ABU, and accessories such as backpacks and gloves may be black, until the foliage green phase-in date. The ABU does not have features of the U.S. Army ACU, such as tilted/slanted pockets, sleeve pockets, velcro attachment points and closures, gusseted back, mandarin collar, etc. However, the ABU does have essential NIR (near-infared) qualities. Unlike the ACU, the sleeves are authorized to be rolled up, as the uniform is made of thicker material which doesn't do as well in the hot weather areas. The heavy weight of the material, along with the multiple layers used to make the interior pockets, made the ABU more uncomfortable to wear than the ACU or BDU in hot climates such as the Middle East. The newer ABU shirt however, has the multiple layers and inside pockets removed, since they couldn't be used in practical situations. Two soldiers wearing the ACU, as well as ACU-patterned patrol cap (left) and boonie hat (right). ...
These paratrooper boots have rubber lug outsoles and side zips. ...
[6]Overview of the Airman Battle Uniform is as follows:
- Headwear
- Patrol cap's shape remains the same, including sewn vent holes instead of grommetted vent hole.
- Boonie cover is available for the ABU for use only in Deployed Locations.
- Organizational (i.e., squadron, group or wing) ballcaps are not authorized (exceptions being authorized bush hats, berets, and RED HORSE)
- Sand T-shirt (Cotton, Cotton Blend, or wicking material)
- Blouse
- All insignia is embroidered in midnight-blue thread with urban-grey background with the exception of rank insignia for 2nd Lieutenant and Major, which will incorporate brown thread
- Nametapes, service tapes and badges (aeronautical wings, occupational badges, etc.) are embroidered in midnight-blue thread in ABU background
- Patches (i.e., MAJCOM, USAF Weapons School, wing, group, squadron, etc.) are not worn with the ABU; however occupational badges (up to 3) are authorized.
- 2 internal map pockets
- Pen pouch on left forearm (Holds two pens)
- All other patches are not authorized to include the Commanders badge
- Outerwear such as Gore-Tex parka, rain jacket are available for the ABU
- Rigger's belt, sand
- Trousers
- Elastic stretch waist
- Additional pocket inside thigh cargo pockets
- Two bellowed lower leg cargo pockets
- Tool pouches on lower leg pockets (with two pen pockets on the right pocket)
- Combat boots are rough-out foliage green
- Sock color must match boots [7]
The ABU boasts 236 different size options in both male and female sizes which will only be offered in temperate weight. Additionally, its permanent press finish means the uniform cannot be starched, pressed or dry-cleaned. Airmen will be able to pull the ABU from the dryer and wear it without further treatment and it should be washed in detergent that does not contain optical brightners. Any further treatment will degrade the effectiveness of the uniform and damage the NIR capability. United States Navy SEALs wearing boonie hats. ...
Goretex redirects here. ...
These paratrooper boots have rubber lug outsoles and side zips. ...
No mixing of camouflage patterns is currently authorized with the ABU except when in deployed locations such as the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) Area of Responsibility (AOR), or when ACU or camouflage field items, such as magazine/utility pouches, personal body armor, helmet covers, knee/elbow pads, etc., are authorized. Exception to this policy is the BDU gortex parka which, with installation commander approval, is authorized for wear with the ABU. Only the AF APECS Parka or DCU gore-tex is authorized in the USCENTCOM AOR. Emblem of the United States Central Command. ...
Notes and References
See also Two soldiers wearing the ACU, as well as ACU-patterned patrol cap (left) and boonie hat (right). ...
A sample of the temperate woodland CADPAT design. ...
Woodland MARPAT in a tropical environment. ...
Example of camouflage pattern This is a list of (some) military camouflage patterns used in battledress. ...
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