The computer generated "Temperate Woodland" pattern (shown) was adopted in the early 2000's and was a substantial camouflage improvement over the earlier single olive drab colour for combats. The military is now testing a new design (Frédéric Peing -Rad-Can

Canadian military testing new camouflage combat uniforms

Several hundred soldiers at the Canadian Forces base in Petawawa Ontario will be wearing new combats (what Americans call “fatigues”) this month.

It’s part of a new programme to replace the current uniforms.

It used to be that the army simply had olive green combat uniforms In the late 1990’s, a new computer-generated pixilated design was created called the CAnadian Disruptive PATtern- known as CADPAT.

Starting at the end of September 2019, 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment will begin wearing coats and trousers, shell fragmentation protective body armour, bush caps, helmet covers and rank patches in the “Prototype J” mid-spectrum pattern. (Pte R Kingerski-Canadian Forces)

It was issued in three colour styles for different environments, a mostly green “Temperate Woodland”, a tan/brown “Arid regions” and a mostly white “Winter” pattern.

A member of 3rd Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, wearing the current CADPAT inspects the prototype uniform from the Soldier Clothing and Equipment Modernization Trial at Garrison Petawawa on September 4, 2019. (Able Seaman Elizabeth Ross)

The arid regions pattern came about in 2003 after the military was heavily criticised for sending soldiers to the desert-like Afghanistan with the forest green uniforms making them stand out and very easily spotted by the enemy against the light tan and brown backgrounds

Wearing the “arid region” pattern, a Canadian soldier takes a position during a patrol in Arghandab, a district of Kandahar province, Afghanistan,, on July 6, 2008. The “arid region” tan pattern was developed after soldiers were sent into theatre wearing forest green uniforms. (Allauddin Khan/Associated Press)

The CADPAT designs were a great improvement on the single olive colour as tests showed soldiers were significantly harder to detect by an enemy.

The new uniform being issued to some 600 members of the 3 Battalion, Royal Canadian Regiment, is the only one of several proposed patterns to be selected for field trials. Developed by Canadian defence scientist it is known as “Pattern J”,

The new style appears like it could be a move toward a single replacement for the two green and tan patterns, having a  mostly brown tan included with the greens and black colours.

Soldiers from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Newfoundland Regiment’s Arctic Response Company Group conduct a winter patrol during Exercise SIBERIAN HUSKY 2019. The winter version (lead soldier) of the Canadian Disruptive Pattern camouflage is not being revised, unlike the Arid Regions and Temperate Woodland versions. Photo: Captain Ian McIntyre, 37 Canadian Brigade Group Public Affairs. ©2019 DND/MDN Canada.

Canadian Special Forces wear the U.S. MultiCam pattern which is not expected to change for the time being.

Evaluations will involve soldier feedback, and body scanning and other data collection. Officials say it isn’t the final pattern, but probably close as changes and adjustments are made. A final choice will be made by 2022, with full issue to come over the few years.

YouTube: CADPAT vs U.S MultiCam (Wick Photography)

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