At present, 21 camouflage training uniforms are being distributed to the whole army and armed police forces.
The new generation of camouflage training uniforms is affectionately called "starry sky camouflage" by netizens because the camouflage patterns are smaller and more complex and look like a starry sky.
According to the camouflage color, the training uniform can be divided into five types: "jungle, desert, woodland, desert, and city", among which the jungle and desert patterns are distributed by the whole army because they can meet most of the geographical environment of the country.
The Armed Police Force also refers to the same style with plaque camouflage, and distributes the Armed Police 21 camouflage training uniform.
As one of the participants in the research and development of this new style of clothing, with the strong support and guidance of the relevant business departments of the Logistics Support Department of the Military Commission, we submitted the style design plan for the new style of clothing.
Afterwards, it was finalized on the basis of repeated revisions by the organization and guidance of the design team and the small-scale try-on of the troops, and finally presented to the comrades in arms.
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Received the task of redesigning the camouflage uniform from the superior in May 2020.
At that time, the 07 camouflage training uniform in active service of our army had been installed in the whole army and armed police force for 13 years.
At the military parade celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, a new training uniform with a starry sky camouflage pattern was unveiled, but this experimental clothing was not distributed to the entire army, only the "starry sky camouflage" pattern was retained.
Before participating in this task, I have been engaged in the research of quilt clothing for many years, and I have also collected a large number of foreign military active-duty clothing according to the subject direction of my research, and written and published related papers.
But what really made me feel deeply about camouflage training uniforms was my personal experience while working at the United Nations.
From 2017 to 2018, I was assigned to the United Nations mission area in South Sudan to participate in peacekeeping operations, as the Deputy Chief of the Northern Theater (Bentiu) Logistics Office, responsible for 5 infantry and engineer battalions in the United Kingdom, Mongolia, India, Ghana and Cambodia Logistics work for more than 2,000 people.
At that time, I was the only Chinese soldier in the entire camp.
Due to my duties, I have to drive in and out of military camps in various countries for inspections every day, and our camouflage uniforms with the UN logo on our bodies often become the "starting point" for communication with each other.
During the exchange, I gradually found that although the 07 jungle camouflage training uniform I wore was of good workmanship and the style was quite satisfactory, but in terms of combat function, especially the practicality of the battlefield, I was wearing it with the foreign officers and soldiers who just came down from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. Compared with the camouflage uniforms, there is still a certain gap.
And the experience of escaping from death during peacekeeping gave me a deeper understanding of the importance of the structural design of camouflage clothing.
Once, I was instructed to drive alone to the airport 5 kilometers outside the camp to check for supplies.
While passing the ceasefire line, the vehicle I was driving was suddenly shot and slid into a roadside minefield and rolled over.
At that time, I wanted to use the pocket knife I was carrying with me to cut the seat belt and climb out, but I was curled up in the overturned car and couldn't move, and I couldn't reach the pocket because of the angle problem. one's life.
Since then, I have paid more attention to the relationship between garment construction and practicality.
Therefore, when designing the style of the 21 camouflage training uniform, our main idea is to address the problems in the structural design of the 07 camouflage training uniform, and re-plan the current battlefield demand for camouflage combat uniforms, focusing on the actual combat performance of the clothing. In terms of aspects, the focus is on the functional division and design of pockets.
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In the case of wearing bulletproof clothing and combat carrying equipment, the front part of the individual soldier's shirt will be blocked.
Therefore, when designing new clothing, we will modularize the clothing and divide it into regions.
The front of the jacket is defined as the "living area" used to meet daily work and life, while the arm pockets, leg pockets, leg pockets and other parts on both sides are defined as the "combat area" for combat.
In terms of the design of the front chest pocket, we have submitted two structural design proposals based on the current service requirements of our army and the actual situation on the battlefield. Take out items; the second plan is more bold, mainly borrowing from the design concept of bomber jackets and the ancient Chinese "taking things in their arms", and designing two vertical pockets on the left and right sides, which can not only maximize the size of the pockets The volume can also be easily crossed to take items.
In addition, we have added two small pockets inside the pocket for the convenience of placing military IDs, access cards, etc.
After the two structural plans were handed in, the response was quickly received. After comparison, the superior agency finally determined the design idea of "taking things in the arms", and in the subsequent revision process, the lower edge was raised by nearly 2 cm to avoid The items in the pocket slipped directly from the inside, which is the final model of the 21 camouflage training uniform that everyone sees now.
At present, many foreign troops have canceled the large pockets at the hem of their combat uniforms. They believe that they can carry backpacks in peacetime. Once they wear bulletproof clothing in wartime, the hem pockets and the top pockets will lose their functions.
However, considering the current situation of our army and the service needs, I did not cancel these two pockets in the design, and turned the inner pocket of the 07 camouflage uniform into an outer patch pocket that can hold more things.
There are two main design ideas: First, "combat (war) training (training) clothing" itself has the meaning of taking into account both combat and daily life training.
Imagine that if they were strictly separated, one set of training uniforms and another set of combat uniforms would be issued, and then the two would be divided into winter and summer, and if changing and washing was considered, each soldier would have only 8 sets of camouflage uniforms in his wardrobe.
This not only seriously reduces the use efficiency of the quilt, causing unnecessary waste, but also increases the burden of service work.
Secondly, as a learning army, the grassroots troops of our army will hold various theoretical studies including political education every week. Bring other gear.
Even on the battlefield, it is impossible for our officers and soldiers to wear bulletproof suits 24 hours a day. A coat that can hold things is very useful.
Therefore, when designing the hem pocket, we hoped that the notebooks used by officers and soldiers could be accommodated daily, and the pocket cover could be closed.
Later, when finalizing the shape, the higher-level organization experts modified the clothing and reduced the pockets.
Although the capacity may be smaller than the experimental version, the function is fully sufficient.
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When performing missions in peacekeeping battlefields, the pockets on the chest and hem of the jacket will be covered by the bulletproof suit or combat carrier.
Therefore, in order to meet the needs of "combat, survival and rescue", we follow the order of "top to bottom", respectively on the two arms (combat), the two sides of the thigh (survival) and the two sides of the calf (rescue). A pair of side pockets are designed to cope.
Items that play an auxiliary role in reconnaissance and combat, such as flashlights, maps, drawing pens, compass needles, ropes, matches, etc., can be placed in the arm pockets, while foods such as individual combat rations are placed on the sides of the thighs and the calves. Hemostasis first aid kits are placed on both sides.
In combat, whether shooting standing or lying down, grabbing items from arm pockets is the most convenient solution when wearing bulletproof clothing or combat carry gear.
Therefore, in the design of the two arm pockets, the first is to enlarge it, which can accommodate maps, compass needles, flashlights, lighters, ropes, handcuffs and other items used to capture prisoners of war.
In order to facilitate the grasping of items, after repeated calculations, we tilted the angle of the pocket to a certain extent to facilitate picking up items.
In the original proposal, the size and style of the two arm pockets are the same, and the inclination angle is larger than the current actual shape.
In the final shape, the left arm pocket is designed as a "flip" for easier opening and closing, while the right arm has a zipper and is smaller in size.
In the UN mission area, I found that the camouflage uniforms worn by soldiers from European countries and even India, Mongolia and other countries have special places for pens.
In the actual battlefield and daily life, the role of the pen cannot be replaced.
But if you keep the pen in your chest pocket as usual, you can easily hurt yourself by shaking violently when you encounter a violent impact or when you need to lie down in danger.
Therefore, we initially designed a "pen pocket" for the pen at the arm pocket, and cut a small hole in the pocket cover, so that stick-like items such as pens, flashlights, and laser pointers can be placed without flipping the pocket cover. .
Later, when the troops were dispatched to try it on on a small scale, some officers and soldiers reported that the pencil pocket on the left arm of the Xia camouflage training uniform could not be opened after the pen was inserted.
To this end, the agency specially organized a team to optimize it, and the final shape was not finalized until everyone was satisfied.
The 07 camouflage training trousers are designed with vertical side pockets on both sides, which is also an innovation in the structure of this camouflage uniform compared with the 87 camouflage uniform.
Usually officers and soldiers can put mobile phones, wallets and other items, and I often put my desk in the peacekeeping mission area.
However, although the vertical design of the patch pockets on both sides of the 07 camouflage training uniform looks good, it is only convenient to use in a standing position. When the wearer is squatting or bending his legs, it is difficult to take out items from the pocket with one hand.
On the current battlefield, whether it is searching forward or taking an armored vehicle for a long-range attack, the legs of the fighters are all in a semi-bent state.
Therefore, we have adjusted the angle of the pockets on the basis of professional calculations and demonstrations, so that it is easy to take out items whether you are squatting or maintaining a half-bent state.
At the same time, we also increased the volume of the pocket, so that it can hold a bag of individual combat rations for a day and a bag of drinking water.
According to statistics, a considerable part of the casualties on the battlefield came from blood loss from battle wounds.
Therefore, rapid hemostasis and self-rescue of the wounded and sick is one of the important ways to improve the survival of the battlefield.
In the first draft of the submitted samples, we referred to the design concept of foreign military and the size of our army's first aid hemostatic bandage, and designed a pair of pockets for storing first aid items on the calf of the new training suit.
The reason why it is placed in this position is that when our body, especially the arm used to stop bleeding, is injured, we may not be able to raise our hand to take the first aid in the arm bag, but at this time, we only need to squat down to touch it vertically. Calf position.
Later, this design was finally cancelled according to the feedback from the officers and soldiers of the try-on unit.
However, we also considered the remedy, that is, if necessary, as long as we send you two prefabricated camouflage "leg pockets", they can all be sewn in a very short time.
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In addition to being closely integrated with the battlefield, in the process of designing clothing structures, we often think about such a problem: my country has the world's best clothing processing factories, well-trained industrial workers, experienced technicians, and the most rigorous organization. Efficient production organization system, the quilts of the world's major military powers have also been produced in our factories, so where is the gap between us and foreign troops in camouflage uniforms?
With the advancement of the design work, I gradually discovered that the gap between the two is mainly the design concept, especially the actual combat design concept aiming at the actual situation of the current war and battlefield.
Therefore, in the layout design process, in addition to the guidance and help of peacekeepers and professional designers, I also learned from the work habits formed when working in the United Nations logistics system, and integrated the formulation of standards and flexible configuration into the design of the quilt.
In the process of designing the clothing structure, I found that if the pockets of the camouflage training suit determine the style of the clothing, then the volume of the pockets determines the function of the camouflage suit.
However, when making samples, manufacturers often make them according to the dimensions marked on the design drawings.
However, large size does not mean large volume, and this relatively vague method is very different from the current practice in the international community.
Therefore, I used the standardized management concept in management science in the design. First, the hard pack of cigarettes was used as the standard volume unit, and then the volume was used as the standard to measure the function of the pocket, and the practicality was used as the scale.
When making the chest pocket, it is required to put 4-5 packs of hard packs of cigarettes as a standard, and the left arm pocket should also leave room for 3-4 packs of cigarettes.
Foreign military camouflage pockets rarely impose strict regulations on the items to be placed, and individual countries only give suggestions.
When I checked the clothes of foreign troops at the inspection point in the South Sudan mission area, I saw that the things foreign officers and soldiers took out of their bodies were different.
In the process of designing 21 camouflage training uniforms, experts often ask us about the functions and uses of our various pockets.
We will formulate corresponding specifications, such as defining the pockets on both sides of the clothing from top to bottom as the functional distinction of "combat, survival, and rescue".
However, we also put forward the concept of "flexible combination" for the use of quilts. We hope to encourage everyone to give full play to their subjective initiative on the premise of reserving sufficient "space".
After all, officers and soldiers need to carry different things at different times, places and when performing different tasks. If the restrictions are too strict, it will be counterproductive.
Therefore, we advocate leaving a reasonable space when designing, and leaving the specific placement of items to the wearer to choose.
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When shooting in a prone position on the battlefield, since bulletproof suits and carrying equipment increase the shooting area of officers and soldiers invisibly, no matter how the magazine is extracted from under the body, the body of the person will be lifted up unconsciously, thereby increasing the number of hits. probability in .
In order to solve this problem, when designing the new military uniform, we specially added two rear pockets at the hip position according to the width of the 95/81 automatic rifle magazine and the depth of the smartphone PLUS, so that officers and soldiers can place two rear pockets in wartime. A magazine, and usually can also hold a smartphone.
In order to make it easier to draw out the gun, a special stash pocket was added to the original proposal, but it was stopped after the vertical zipper design was chosen.
Compared with the 07 camouflage training suit, the 21 camouflage training suit is designed with anti-wear reinforcement on the elbows, knees and hips.
Especially in the buttocks, the same sewing process was adopted as the shoulder pads of our army's heavy machine gunners in the past, and fine needles and threads are used for sewing, which is not only wear-resistant but also heat-insulating and anti-puffing, which can effectively help officers and soldiers relieve fatigue.
In addition to the above improvements, we also added 4 perspiration ventilation holes under the armpits of the 21 summer training clothes, and improved the design of the drawstring at the waist of the clothes.
In the later improvement process of the mechanism, "interfaces" for docking with the equipment were also added at the left shoulder blade and left cuff to avoid hooking due to exposed wiring, and also for the suit to be more perfectly integrated with the equipment. Foundation.
As an important part of improving the function of the new camouflage training uniform, while designing the structure and function of the clothing, our team has successively submitted the military rank, chest badge, name card, blood type and arms symbols based on the consideration of service requirements and the combination of peace and war. and other logo clothing.
Among them, the rank collar, armbands and chest badges only add camouflage varieties on the basis of the 07-style logo clothing, and the blood type and post symbols are designed in a new version to meet the needs of peacetime and wartime and maximize resource conservation.
It is worth mentioning that, in order to facilitate the grass-roots commanders to command composite units from different units in battle, and referring to the convention that UN peacekeepers wear embroidered military ranks and English names, we have added soft name tags to military uniforms.
After several rounds of screening, the agency combined the functions of the blood type symbol and the name card according to the feedback of the grass-roots officers and soldiers, and added the position of marking the blood type to the back of the soft name card.
The rank collar has also been redesigned because it is easy to scratch the chin.
The hanging/pasting armband bottom bracket on the trial production sample is retained, which not only avoids the problem of the old armband being easily scratched, but also retains the function of continuing to wear the hanging armband in joint military exercises and other operations.
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After the samples of this set of camouflage training uniforms based on actual combat were submitted, the agency organized and guided the design team to optimize the version so that it could be better combined with various types of equipment.
At present, the 21 camouflage training uniform has been finalized and is being equipped with the whole army and armed police force one after another, and has received very positive feedback.
After the 21 camouflage training uniform was installed, some comrades around him reported that the clothes were "familiar and unfamiliar", and they felt both the style of foreign troops and the "taste" of our military's previous camouflage uniforms.
The reason why this suit is like a foreign army is that the starting point of this suit is completely designed based on the actual requirements of modern warfare for combat clothing, aiming at the forefront of contemporary warfare.
Therefore, objectively speaking, it is not that our clothes are like foreign troops, but that what we and the foreign troops are "targeting" are wars under the same battlefield conditions in the same era.
In addition, when designing this suit, it also fully considered the wearing "habits" that our officers and soldiers have developed over the years, and retains the advantages of our army's previous camouflage training uniforms in design. It is the summary and inheritance of camouflage uniforms of past dynasties .
For example, the neckline and cuff design, mid-waist drawstring, military rank style, etc. are all revised or fine-tuned with reference to the relevant parts of the 07 and 03 camouflage training uniforms.
The accordion pleats on both sides of the new training uniform are also iteratively updated on the design concept of the Armed Police 07 camouflage uniform and special combat uniform.
The starting point of the design is not to "change" for the sake of "change", nor is it deliberately done under the banner of "international integration" to reflect the so-called "cool", but everything revolves around actual combat, and everything is developed around the battlefield. .
Compared with the 07 camouflage training uniform, the 21 camouflage training uniform breaks the original concept of "military camouflage", and is truly equipped with camouflage combat uniforms according to the characteristics of the combat area environment.
It should be said that this is really aimed at the actual battlefield, reflecting the guiding ideology of our military clothing research and development to follow the principle of seeking truth from facts.
At present, even the U.S. military itself, which has been waging wars all the year round, will regard military uniforms as a "private place" for various military services due to factors such as history, military services, and interests.
On issues such as the replacement of military uniforms, the various military services have their own policies, and they have suffered losses many times because the camouflage uniforms "do not match" with the combat area. The main reason is this problem.
After the submission of the new camouflage training uniform samples, we were worried that the higher authorities might not be able to accept bold designs such as arm pockets, side pockets, and slanted logo clothing.
But after the final version was finalized, we were pleasantly surprised to find that not only the pocket plan was approved by the military commission and leaders, but even the armbands that were deliberately "correct" when we submitted the alternative plan were "crooked" again.
This seemingly inadvertent detail has made us feel the determination of the higher authorities to be practical and the rigorous and pragmatic work style.
(Author: Joint Service School, National Defense University)
Zhang Lei Source: China Youth Daily