Army selects new winter gear to give troops edge in combat.

• Author: Kennedy, Harold
• Position: UPFRONT

With winter winds now blowing full force in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army is preparing to supply its combat troops with a new generation of cold-weather clothing.

The improved gear is designed to make them more comfortable--and better able to fight--in frigid temperatures.

This wardrobe, called generation III of the extended cold-weather system or Gen III ECWCS, includes 12 components from underwear to parka and trousers, all intended to protect battlefield soldiers from cold, snow and ice.

"If all goes well, we will begin fielding it this winter," Lt. Col. John Lemondes, the Army's product manager for clothing and individual equipment at Fort Belvoir, Va., told National Defense

The current line of clothing, known as Gen II, is still too heavy and bulky, said Maj. Rob Helms, assistant product manager.

Gen III reduces that bulk "significantly," Helms said. "I can fit all 12 components into an assault pack." Clothing in the system uses multiple layers of Polartec polyester velour fabric, which is one third lighter in weight than traditional clothing material.

Another difference: The current gear includes a jacket with a permanently attached hood that "funneled rain water down the back of the wearer's neck," Helms said. Gen III's jacket has a folding hood, which stows beneath the collar.

The Army set out in December 2003 to "redesign the cold weather system, using new materials and concepts, from the skin out," he said. It began by looking at what kind of cold-weather gear was already available in the commercial market.

"We started by going to the outdoor tradeshows," Helms said. "We asked ourselves, 'How do the guys who climb mountain peaks for a living dress?'"

The new gear includes:

* Two lightweight, long-sleeve undershirts with long-legged drawers that are constructed with silk--weight, moisture-wicking polyester. The fabric aids in the movement of moisture from the skin to the outer layers of clothing, whether the wearer is moving or stationary.

* A mid-weight outer shirt with drawers built of polyester, grid-patterned fleece. It provides light insulation for use in mild cold and serves as a layer for more frigid temperatures.

* A zippered fleece jacket, with a fabric mimicking animal fur, acts as the primary insulation layer that provides an increased warmth-to-weight ratio and reduced volume when packed.

* A lightweight, waterproof windbreaker, which acts as a low-volume shell layer for use in mild or transitional environments, such...