" A new DPDU variant known as 'Mid Point" was to be progressively introduced into selected service in Afghanistan 2010. Army chief Ken Gillespie toured Afghanistan showing off the new uniform. The pattern remained the same as that used for the DPCU and DPDU but with a light lime-yellow base colour, light grey, sand, olive-green and red-brown. The new variant was designed to overcome issues associated with operating in and around the "green belt" areas of Afghanistan particularly in corn fields where the DPDU was too light in colour but where the DPCU was too green for open areas. Trials however, showed that in most areas the original DPCU performed more effectively than the new Midpoint camouflage and it will not now be adopted. One criticism was that the new camouflage used colours that were still too biased towards desert operations. Australian special forces operating in Afhanistan have been seen wearing Crye's Multicam camouflage. A trial of MultiCam was undertaken and the decision made to broaden this trial for Australian operations in Afghanistan. More recently the possibility of adopting MultiCam's effective colour scheme but in a pattern more akin to DPCU is being considered. "
http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Auscam::sub::Mid-point_-_DPCU
http://www.servinghistory.com/topics/Auscam::sub::Mid-point_-_DPCU
Trial DPMU
" photos on the Australian Department of Defence (DoD) website show a variation of their armed forces’ iconic ‘bunny’ or ‘jelly bean’ Disruptive Pattern Uniform (DPU). The colourway looks to be optimised for semi-arid regions like Afghanistan, and according to a source at the International Camouflage Uniform Society
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) developed a mid point colour set that may better meet the range of environments that deployed troops are encountering, particularly within Afghanistan.
In December 2009, the Chief of Army directed an in-theatre trial of the new pattern to confirm its effectiveness. This uniform is referred to as Disruptive Pattern Mid-Point Uniform (DPMU). Subject to the successful outcome of the Australian and in-theatre trials, Army intends to roll the DPMU uniform out to deployed troops as quickly as possible. "
http://domhyde.wordpress.com/
31 August 2010
Last week those of you in the West may have heard the interview Howard Sattler did with an ex digger named Mark on his Drive Program on Perth Radio Station 6PR. They were discussing the trialling of a pattern called DPMU for Australian soldiers. Army is trialling new uniforms because , like several other nations, including the UK and US it has been recognised that you can not be selective in which type of camouflage to wear when moving between desert and green zone is a necessity.
The safety of Australia soldiers serving in Australia and abroad is the highest priority for the Chief of Army.
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) were tasked to come up with a camouflage uniform that had colours that were a combination of the two uniforms the Australian Army currently uses. We called it DPMU. This is in combination with other work being done to assess the other options for identifying the best camouflage for Australian soldiers, including a detailed look a the US and UK solutions. This is not a cost saving measure. And the IR performance of the uniforms and the colourfastness will be added at production time, if we go down the DPMU route. We already know how to do that as our DPCU has shown us, it does not wash out after 10 washes.
So that we make the best choice of mid point camouflage, when we have all the evidence, especially the scientific evidence, the Chief of Army will decide and we will go into production. This is so that soldiers can operate both in the green areas and the open desert without having to change their uniforms.
Transcript of: MAJGEN John Caligari, Head Modernisation and Strategic Planning - Army speaks with Howard Sattler on Radio 6PR about the new Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform [MS-doc]
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) developed a mid point colour set that may better meet the range of environments that deployed troops are encountering, particularly within Afghanistan.
In December 2009, the Chief of Army directed an in-theatre trial of the new pattern to confirm its effectiveness. This uniform is referred to as Disruptive Pattern Mid-Point Uniform (DPMU). Subject to the successful outcome of the Australian and in-theatre trials, Army intends to roll the DPMU uniform out to deployed troops as quickly as possible. "
http://domhyde.wordpress.com/
31 August 2010
Last week those of you in the West may have heard the interview Howard Sattler did with an ex digger named Mark on his Drive Program on Perth Radio Station 6PR. They were discussing the trialling of a pattern called DPMU for Australian soldiers. Army is trialling new uniforms because , like several other nations, including the UK and US it has been recognised that you can not be selective in which type of camouflage to wear when moving between desert and green zone is a necessity.
The safety of Australia soldiers serving in Australia and abroad is the highest priority for the Chief of Army.
The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) were tasked to come up with a camouflage uniform that had colours that were a combination of the two uniforms the Australian Army currently uses. We called it DPMU. This is in combination with other work being done to assess the other options for identifying the best camouflage for Australian soldiers, including a detailed look a the US and UK solutions. This is not a cost saving measure. And the IR performance of the uniforms and the colourfastness will be added at production time, if we go down the DPMU route. We already know how to do that as our DPCU has shown us, it does not wash out after 10 washes.
So that we make the best choice of mid point camouflage, when we have all the evidence, especially the scientific evidence, the Chief of Army will decide and we will go into production. This is so that soldiers can operate both in the green areas and the open desert without having to change their uniforms.
Transcript of: MAJGEN John Caligari, Head Modernisation and Strategic Planning - Army speaks with Howard Sattler on Radio 6PR about the new Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform [MS-doc]
" Look what you might be wearing "
" Sniper forced to apologies after questioning uniform"
Dan Oakes DEFENCE CORRESPONDENT August 30, 2010
AN ARMY sniper has been forced to apologise to the Chief of Army after circulating a letter accusing him of putting troops' lives at risk.
The sniper accused Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie of endorsing a particular camouflage uniform, regardless of trials designed to select a new pattern. The sniper participated in the trials in an expert capacity.
''We were informed early in the trialling process by a civilian representative of the Chief of Army (CA) that it was the CA's intent to adopt Disruptive Pattern Mid-point Uniform (DPMU) pattern regardless of the outcome of the trial,'' he said in the letter, seen by the Herald.
'This obviously made the trial somewhat invalid given as how even if other patterns had outperformed DPMU they would never have been considered in the first place.''
The sniper, a lance-corporal the Herald has chosen not to name, said the favoured uniform stood out ''like a neon bullseye'' through night vision equipment.
''In the complex war-fighting environment that many Australian troops find themselves in, it seems irresponsible,'' he said.
The army is developing the DPMU to be a mid-point between the two types issued at present, which are designed for desert and jungle fighting. The army believes neither is appropriate for the mountainous terrain in Afghanistan.
Some of the trial uniforms have already been sent to Afghanistan for evaluation, but the sniper said the experts who took part in the trial said the Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform already in use was an ''ideal choice'' for Afghanistan.
This uniform performed better in almost every environment than the DPMU, save for urban areas, he said.
The letter brought a stinging rebuke from Regimental Sergeant Major Stephen Ward, who distributed an email lambasting the sniper.
''For any of you to think that the Chief of Army would place soldiers in a situation where your safety was deliberately compromised due to a uniform issue shows that you do not understand the extent of the work and effort that he puts into looking to your well-being and safety,'' Sergeant Major Ward said.
He said the trials were carried out to determine the best colour combinations and whether the DPMU would be accepted by Australian troops.
However, Sergeant Major Ward did not directly dispute the sniper's claim that a civilian representative of the Chief of Army had said Lieutenant-General Gillespie would select the DPMU regardless of trial results. Lieutenant-General Gillespie told a Senate estimates hearing in June: ''We have developed a prototype. We are about to undergo some trials on that and those trials look promising.''
The Herald has also seen a letter from the sniper to Lieutenant-General Gillespie in which he apologises for being ''derogatory'' and says some of his assertions were based on hearsay.
However, the sniper says he will resubmit his letter of complaint with all ''third-party comments, hearsay, or unreliable references'' removed.
A Herald investigation this year revealed that troops were being issued with defective equipment because the Defence Materiel Organisation was riddled with questionable tender practices and incompetence.
Lieutenant-General Gillespie and the head of the Defence Materiel Organisation, Stephen Gumley, said the stories contained ''inferences'' that were inaccurate. Lieutenant-General Gillespie said the DMO ''provides safe, fit for purpose, high-quality clothing and personal equipment''.
AN ARMY sniper has been forced to apologise to the Chief of Army after circulating a letter accusing him of putting troops' lives at risk.
The sniper accused Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie of endorsing a particular camouflage uniform, regardless of trials designed to select a new pattern. The sniper participated in the trials in an expert capacity.
''We were informed early in the trialling process by a civilian representative of the Chief of Army (CA) that it was the CA's intent to adopt Disruptive Pattern Mid-point Uniform (DPMU) pattern regardless of the outcome of the trial,'' he said in the letter, seen by the Herald.
'This obviously made the trial somewhat invalid given as how even if other patterns had outperformed DPMU they would never have been considered in the first place.''
The sniper, a lance-corporal the Herald has chosen not to name, said the favoured uniform stood out ''like a neon bullseye'' through night vision equipment.
''In the complex war-fighting environment that many Australian troops find themselves in, it seems irresponsible,'' he said.
The army is developing the DPMU to be a mid-point between the two types issued at present, which are designed for desert and jungle fighting. The army believes neither is appropriate for the mountainous terrain in Afghanistan.
Some of the trial uniforms have already been sent to Afghanistan for evaluation, but the sniper said the experts who took part in the trial said the Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform already in use was an ''ideal choice'' for Afghanistan.
This uniform performed better in almost every environment than the DPMU, save for urban areas, he said.
The letter brought a stinging rebuke from Regimental Sergeant Major Stephen Ward, who distributed an email lambasting the sniper.
''For any of you to think that the Chief of Army would place soldiers in a situation where your safety was deliberately compromised due to a uniform issue shows that you do not understand the extent of the work and effort that he puts into looking to your well-being and safety,'' Sergeant Major Ward said.
He said the trials were carried out to determine the best colour combinations and whether the DPMU would be accepted by Australian troops.
However, Sergeant Major Ward did not directly dispute the sniper's claim that a civilian representative of the Chief of Army had said Lieutenant-General Gillespie would select the DPMU regardless of trial results. Lieutenant-General Gillespie told a Senate estimates hearing in June: ''We have developed a prototype. We are about to undergo some trials on that and those trials look promising.''
The Herald has also seen a letter from the sniper to Lieutenant-General Gillespie in which he apologises for being ''derogatory'' and says some of his assertions were based on hearsay.
However, the sniper says he will resubmit his letter of complaint with all ''third-party comments, hearsay, or unreliable references'' removed.
A Herald investigation this year revealed that troops were being issued with defective equipment because the Defence Materiel Organisation was riddled with questionable tender practices and incompetence.
Lieutenant-General Gillespie and the head of the Defence Materiel Organisation, Stephen Gumley, said the stories contained ''inferences'' that were inaccurate. Lieutenant-General Gillespie said the DMO ''provides safe, fit for purpose, high-quality clothing and personal equipment''.
Comparison with DPCU & DPDU
Pouch Single F88 (Styer) Mag
Pouch Dble F88 (Styer) Mag
Pouch Utit Medium
Pouch Camelbak
Pouch Single Grenade 40mm
Pouch Accessories Small
Eagle Maritime Ciras with DPMU pouches
