Army Combat Shirt
Encyclopedia
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as an addition to the Army Combat Uniform
Army Combat Uniform
The Army Combat Uniform is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army. It is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform worn during the 1980s and 1990s. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its...
. The ACS is a stand-alone shirt designed specifically for use with Improved Outer Tactical Vest
Improved Outer Tactical Vest
The Improved Outer Tactical Vest, or IOTV, is an enhanced version of, and a replacement for, the older Outer Tactical Vest variant of the Interceptor body armor, as fielded by the United States Army...
armor in warm and hot weather. It is intended to greatly increase user comfort through the use of lightweight, moisture-wicking, and breathable fabrics. The ACS was created in conjunction with the USMC
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
's Flame Resistant Organizational Gear
Flame Resistant Organizational Gear
Flame Resistant Organizational Gear or FROG is United States Marine Corps clothing designed to reduce the number of injuries resulting from fire and flash , due to the increased use of improvised explosive devices in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.-Features:The FROG system consists of a...
(FROG). The ACS, in conjunction with the ACU trousers, provides head-to-toe protection against burns.
Design
The torso of the shirt is foliage green with the Army Strong logo centered on the chest (a feature deleted in the latest versions); the arms are in the Universal Camouflage PatternUniversal Camouflage Pattern
The Universal Camouflage Pattern , also referred to as ACUPAT or Digital Camouflage is the military camouflage pattern currently in use in the United States Army's Army Combat Uniform. The pattern was chosen after several laboratory and field tests that occurred from 2003 to 2004...
similar to the Army Combat Uniform
Army Combat Uniform
The Army Combat Uniform is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army. It is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform worn during the 1980s and 1990s. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its...
, with integrated anti-abrasion elbow pad
Elbow pad
thumb|left|200px|Rollerblader wearing elbow padsElbow pads are protective padded gear worn on the elbows to protect them against injury during a fall or a strike....
s. No-seam shoulders minimize rubbing or chafing against armor. With the adoption of the MultiCam
MultiCam
MultiCam is a single camouflage pattern designed to help the wearer hide in varied environments, seasons, elevations, and light conditions. It is a 7-color, multi-environment camouflage pattern developed by Crye Associates in conjunction with U.S. Army Soldier Systems Center...
uniform for wear in Afghanistan, there is now a version made with a tan body and MultiCam sleeves. Other features include a double pen pocket on the lower arm, zippered storage pockets on the upper arm, concealable infrared
Infrared
Infrared light is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than that of visible light, measured from the nominal edge of visible red light at 0.74 micrometres , and extending conventionally to 300 µm...
identification tabs, and a place to attach name, rank, and flag on the upper arm. The features of both shirts are the same.
The ACS is constructed of three flame-resistant performance fabrics proprietary to Massif Mountain Gear Company. The shirt’s torso is constructed of two highly breathable flame-resistant fabrics with advanced moisture management capabilities. Both fabrics wick moisture away from the skin and dry rapidly, preventing the fabrics from sticking to the user’s skin and greatly increasing comfort under body armor. The sleeves and side panels of the shirt are constructed of a lightweight, but durable and abrasion-resistant fabric designed to provide extra protection for areas not protected by body armor. All three fabrics feature 4-way stretch for enhanced performance and user comfort.
A second Version of the Army Combat Shirt, designated the Winter Army Combat Shirt, is entering development. Almost identical to the Regular ACS, the winter shirt uses a number of fire-resistant insulating fabrics to keep the wearer warm in cold weather.
Background
Traditionally, flame-resistant uniforms have been reserved for military personnel such as aviators, fuel handlers and combat vehicle crew who were most likely to encounter fuel-related fires. However, the increasing frequency of improvised explosive devices in AfghanistanAfghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
and Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
has greatly increased the number of troops in need of flame-resistant clothing and uniforms. In January 2007, the Army began shipping 160,000 flame-resistant Nomex
Nomex
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.- Properties:...
uniforms for soldiers assigned to at-risk convoy operations. However, the Nomex
Nomex
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.- Properties:...
uniforms restricted air movement more than the traditional Cotton/Nylon ACU and were hotter for soldiers to wear. Army equipment officials developed the ACS to provide soldiers with a lightweight, breathable alternative to the Nomex
Nomex
Nomex is a registered trademark for flame resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967.- Properties:...
ACU.
See also
- Army Combat UniformArmy Combat UniformThe Army Combat Uniform is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army. It is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform worn during the 1980s and 1990s. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its...
- Airman Battle UniformAirman Battle UniformThe Airman Battle Uniform is a service-distinctive camouflage battledress uniform for the United States Air Force. It is currently in full production and replaced the Battle Dress Uniform November 1st, 2011 after a four year phase-in period...
- Interceptor Body ArmorInterceptor body armorInterceptor Body Armor is the United States Army's primary bulletproof vest. The Interceptor design replaced the older fragmentation protective Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops body armor system, introduced in the early 1980s...
- Flame Resistant Organizational GearFlame Resistant Organizational GearFlame Resistant Organizational Gear or FROG is United States Marine Corps clothing designed to reduce the number of injuries resulting from fire and flash , due to the increased use of improvised explosive devices in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.-Features:The FROG system consists of a...
External links
The interview link above describes how the ACS protected a soldier from burn injuries in Afghanistan.