Tropic Thunder — Should the UK Commando Force adopt MultiCam Tropic?
**Re-edit and re-posted**
Things have moved on since this article was originally posted — not least, I have re-joined the Royal Marines. So this piece will now focus on the UK Commando Force, with additional notes on the “Commando Brand” and the new role and missions.
Following my involvement at DSEI 2019 in London, a thought formed in my #CamoGeek mind. Several dog walks later I was satisfied that I was on to something and ready to put those thoughts into a blog.
Background
After decades in Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) the British Armed Forces adopted Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP), which was based on the very successful Crye Precision MultiCam pattern. To avoid being mistaken for other nations the British MTP includes some of the ‘brush-stroke’ shapes from DPM, to achieve a more “British look”.
BBC ‘In Pictures’ piece by Laura Lean: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-22165787
And here in lay the problem…
The Science Bit!
MultiCam was developed by Crye Precision in 2002 and was the first widely available 6-tone camouflage pattern. If you look closely, the brown fades to tan, the darker green fades to a lighter green, with ‘splodges’ (technical term) of dark brown (not black) and a very light cream (not white) — these replicate small areas of shadow and dapples of light that occur in nature.
But that is NOT the clever bit! The most important advance in camouflage that Crye introduced was the ratio in which the pallet of colours was used. This ‘secret sauce’ means that when viewed against a green backdrop the fabric looks greener, and when viewed in dry, dusty shades it looks lighter. This made it the perfect “transitional camouflage” for troops moving between environments; from the lush Helmand River valley, to dusty compounds, for example.
Selection and the Ally Test
“Perfect” I hear you say, but there is a problem. When the very clever people at DSTL did the tests of future patterns to replace DPM, they used MultiCam (Not MTP!) this may not sound problematic… but the results which were interpreted as the “best camouflage” actually shows that MultiCam is the “least worst pattern in the most number of environments”. Making it perfect as a transitional pattern, which the MOD had been experimenting with for some years, as a pattern called PECOC to sit somewhere between DPM and Desert DPM.
However, when the pattern was changed to look more ‘British’, the Crye Precision ratio was not applied and therefore MTP is not as effective as the original design — even before the cheap fabric fades in the sun and after being washed.
The final hurdle that MTP had to overcome was the Ally Test. Would the troops want to wear it? A number of patterns were scored by troops from across the Army, as well as the Royal Marines. The clearest “No!” was to a US style digital pattern and most ‘liked’ MultiCam.
Now, I first saw MultiCam ‘in the wild’ in Basra in 2008, worn by a small number of operators. Known collectively as the “Basra Paintball Team”, they made the job of the Combat Camera Team (CCT) very easy, “Don’t photograph the guys in MultiCam!”
So, by the time the patterns were put through the Ally Test, most participants were aware of MultiCam and its association with the SF community. Therefore, it could be argued that the test may be skewed by some Ally-bias.
Since MTP was adopted by the UK, MultiCam (an early version) has replaced the universally hated ACU grey-digital pattern of the US Army and is the most commonly worn pattern across NATO SOF and the Russian GRU! There are 8 national variants of MultiCam (including MTP) and it is worn by soldiers from no less than 44 (yes, Forty-Four!) countries. I would argue that attempts to make MTP ‘uniquely British’ are all for nothing.
*Rant Ends*
On Armed Forces Day 2019, the Royal Marines announced they would be issuing the Commando Force with Crye uniforms, through the NATO procurement programme. After a decade of making Army uniforms look good, the Commandos were to have Commando Uniform 2020 (CU20) replacing all MTP clothing. As we enter 2023, this is being further enhanced with Crye Hot Weather uniforms, Cold Weather Jackets and sleeping systems.
Tropic Thunder
While the British were rolling-out MTP, Crye Precision was developing their own variants of Multicam.
Multicam Black is designed for those engaged in counter-terrorist operations and Alpine is clearly for those operating in winter/cold weather environments (*Cough* — Good in Norway!). The two adaptations closest to Multicam are Arid and Tropic.
Many readers will be struck by how similar Tropic is to our old DPM. The original MultiCam sits between Arid and Tropic, therefore equipment, webbing, plate carriers, packs and clothing in Multicam (or MTP) can be worn with either as the colour pallets overlap.
MultiCam Black was worn by many of the US SOF units working alongside Iraqi Counter-Terrorist units against ISIS.
Here is my pitch…
The UK Commando Force should adopt MultiCam Tropic to compliment CU20 and offer commandos options/choices, depending on the operation environment or task.
Examples:
- Marines could wear Tropic when working alongside soldiers from nations that wear DPM or Woodland; Kenya and Somalia as two current examples. It would also not look out of place next to the Ugandan digital pattern. (Arid would work well alongside the Omani version of DPM).
- Those deployed on our annual deployments to Norway, as well as Sweden and Eastern Europe. Soldiers with the NATO Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) in Estonia, have found MTP too bright for the deep dark pine forests. A Tropic winter jacket and cold weather hat would be far more suitable. During the winter months, Alpine (the white one) Keela over-trousers would be a suitable alternative to the MTP Gore-Tex ‘boil in the bags’.
- MultiCam Tropic would also be an ideal uniform for the Commando Force and the Royal Marines brand. As the (the former) CGRM stated “Returning to our roots, with new foliage”. Operating often at night, the darker shades of Tropic offer far more suitable clothing for Commandos.
- For other tasks, the issue of a Tropic combat jacket (one per soldier on operations) would allow the wearer to “Mix & Match” as the Royal Marines did during Operation JACANA, where DPM jackets were worn with Desert DPM trousers. The best example of this could be the range of jackets produced by British manufacturer Keela.
- The Marines on the Jungle Warfare Instructors at JWIC could also wear Tropic to distinguish themselves from the Army staff and students.
- When working alongside the USMC, Tropic would better match the Marine Corps’ MARPAT uniforms and MARSOC in their “Old Skool Cool” Woodland.
So What?
At the time the UK said goodbye to DPM and brought in MTP, the discussion (in the Army) was dominated by irrelevant arguments over shirts tucked in or out, sleeves up or down, rather than the fundamental questions over the pattern’s suitability beyond Op HERRICK. Or whether it was a quick fix for the unique conditions in Helmand and (as often cited) a cost-cutting exercise to replace DPM and Desert DPM with one pattern.
I believe that the UK should continue using MTP, we are too far down that particular track… However, for the Commando Force, it should be supplemented with Tropic to meet the specific requirements of the “new” (Going back to the future!) and their brand. Making a future, clear distinction between the Royal Marines and others.
I would commend it to senior decision-makers within the Commando Force, as a suitable ‘identifier’ as ‘Commandos’.
#CamoGeek — Out!
