OCP ACU (Scorpion W2)
Pattern for the Army Combat Uniform
U.S. Army Selects New Pattern
On July 31, 2015the Army officially announced that a new camouflage pattern, known internally as Scorpion W2, will be named the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP). Not only will this new pattern replace MultiCam, which currently acts as the OCP, but also it will replace Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) as the official ACU pattern.
The original Scorpion pattern was developed by Crye Precision as part of the Objective Force Warrior program more than a decade ago. The Scorpion W2 variant was modified from the initial pattern by Army Natick Labs. Similar in design toMultiCam, the chosen pattern is scheduled to be used in the field by the summer of 2015.
After a four-year intensive camouflage research and testing process, this selection couldn't have been more anticipated. For more than a decade, the Army has relied on the widely unpopular UCP as the official standard-issue pattern.
"The Army has confirmed through testing that the (Scorpion W2) pattern would offer exceptional concealment, which directly enhances force protection and survivability for Soldiers," the an anonymous Army senior spokesperson said.
Speculation about the selection began back in May whenMilitary.com broke the news that Sgt. Major of the Army Raymond Chandler III had been briefing senior sergeants major on the selection. On July 23, 2014 Gen. Dennis L. Via, the head of Army Material Command, unofficially confirmed the Army has adopted the W2 variant of the Scorpion camouflage.
OPERATIONAL CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN
The Army has decided to call the new pattern Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), a name sure to spark confusion considering up to this announcement, MultiCam was known as the OCP.
"The Army is naming the pattern the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) to emphasize that the pattern's use extends beyond Afghanistan to all Combatant Commands," says an anonymous senior spokesperson for the Army in a statement regarding the new pattern on the Army's website.
The New Army Combat Uniform
A new camouflage pattern isn't the only uniform update the Army is making. Many aspects of the Army Combat Uniform (ACU) are changing as well. From new pockets to the removal of hook-and-loop (Velcro) closures, the ACU is getting a complete makeover.
"I'm very excited about the replacement for the ACU," SMA Chandler said in a virtual town meeting on January 9, 2015. "It's a much better uniform. It provides much better protection for you. We put a lot of thought into the design. I think you'll find it's a much better quality uniform than what you have today."
From new pockets to the removal of hook-and-loop (Velcro) closures, the ACU is getting a complete makeover. These changes will be implemented when the new OCP uniforms are issued in mid-summer 2015.
"The Army is making several design changes to the ACU in response to soldier inputs to make their uniform better and more functional," said Army Spokesperson William Layer.
1. The upper-sleeve pocket will feature a zipper closure instead of a Velcro closure for easier access. These new pockets will look similar to those found on combat shirts.
2. The upper-sleeve pocket will also now be at least 1 inch longer. Feedback on post-combat surveys showed that soldiers require roomier pockets and more room for patches.
3. The new ACUs will no longer offer internal elbow pads and Velcro elbow patches. Both those characteristics were found useless in the field and deemed a waste of money. However, one feature that will stay the same is the doubled fabric for extra reinforcement on the elbow area.
4. Say goodbye to the cord-and-barrel lock on the cargo pocket. It will no longer exist on the new ACUs.
5. ACUs will no longer feature knee pads or patches. There will still be reinforced fabric in the knee area.
6. The lower-leg pocket has previously used a Velcro closure. From now on, it will feature a one-button closure instead.
CHANGES STILL PENDING APPROVAL
7. If this change gets approved, the mandarin collar is no more. The Army combat shirt eliminates the need for this collar style. Instead, you could see a traditional fold-down design.
8. The Infrared (IR) Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) tag will be still be on the right sleeve but will be removed from the left sleeve.
9. After complaint that the drawstrings on the uniform pants' waistband looks unprofessional, chances are you'll see thisremoved from new ACU pants..
10. Only two pen pockets instead of the usual three.
11. Lower-leg pockets will be removed completely.
Soldiers will get new boots to accompany the OCP ACU as well. Darker coyote brown boots will replace desert tan boots as the official standard-issue. Major military boot suppliers have already started directing the production of new boots that will comply. It's also expected that gloves will be in this same colorway. Not only will the darker colorway provide better concealment in a wide variety of environments, but it will also hide dirt and wear better than the current desert tan boots.
T-shirts will be also be slightly darker in a tan 499 color. As for all binding components of the uniform, such as loop and hook, thread, zippers, etc., these will also be in tan 499. This color is currently used for MultiCam uniforms.
OCP Swatches
Strikingly similar to MultiCam, OCP (Scorpion W2) is made of beige, brown and green components but lacks the vertical elements found in MultiCam. Currently, there are only a few images of Scorpion OCP available to the public.
However, there are multiple images of the original Scorpion pattern developed as a part of the Objective Force Warrior program. How does Scorpion compare to current ACU patterns UCP and MultiCam? Take a look.
Scorpion / MultiCam pattern
Crye precision developed the Scorpion pattern under this contract. Afterwards, Crye Precision tweaked the Scorpion for commercial-use, creating the massively successful MultiCam pattern. As well as achieving great results in camouflage testing, MultiCam was chosen for use in Afghanistan as the Operation Enduring Freedom Camouflage pattern (OEF OCP).
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