Finally, the announcement.
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The Singapore Armed Forces' new 'digital camouflage' uniform has
been designed to make it even more difficult for soldiers to be
detected.
The tiny pixels in the combat fatigues - commonly known as the
No. 4 - have jagged boundary lines that produce a 'quivering
effect' on the eye.
The 'visual noise' they create means it will be harder for a
soldier to be spotted at distances of less than 50m.
The effect is akin to a person straining to make out a very
low-resolution image on a computer screen.
When the soldier moves farther away, the pixels merge into
larger shapes, which means the new look works just as well as the
traditional camouflage pattern from afar.
This is the most radical revamp of the SAF's combat fatigues
since the present uniform was introduced 25 years ago.
Besides the pixel patterns, the uniform comes in new shades and
with tweaks, like the creation of a 'mandarin collar' to prevent
abrasion from rifle slings.
It will be phased in over three years, with recruits, active
servicemen and some national servicemen (NSmen) getting theirs from
next year.
By 2011, all NSmen will be wearing them. There are about 300,000
active and reservist personnel here.
Soldiers in countries such as the United States, Canada and
China have also adopted this camouflage pattern.
The Ministry of Defence said that the changes will meet the
varying demands of the areas where the third-generation SAF
soldiers operate in.
The new uniform will improve a soldier's ability to survive in
the battlefield.
While soldiers in the past relied on forests for cover as much
as they could, the grounds where battles are fought have shifted to
include urban areas fringed by foliage.
With advances in equipment technology, soldiers today can be
spotted more easily and shot at from closer range.
A team from the army and the Defence Science & Technology
Agency was in charge of coming up with the new uniform and its
members studied the colours and patterns for over a year.
Using computers, they mulled over hundreds of images in various
light conditions.
Field trials were held and it was found that it was harder to
detect soldiers when they wore the new uniforms.
Soldiers are trained to take aim and fire in four seconds once
they spot their enemy. In their new greens, it took one or two
seconds longer before they could be spotted.
The new uniform works well at night too. The material has been
treated so that it maintains the new camouflage effect even when
soldiers are viewed through night-vision devices.
The new fabric - woven from cotton and polyester - has also been
designed to dry faster, transfer sweat to the outer surface more
quickly and allow more air to circulate.
All this means the soldier won't feel so warm and this will
prevent heatstroke in hot weather. Among other changes, the new
uniform comes with fewer buttons on the chest and none on the
shoulders. This relieves the pressure on the soldier's body when he
dons equipment like body armour.
The epaulettes bearing officers' ranks have been moved from the
shoulders to the chest area. For other servicemen, the ranks remain
on the sleeves but are noticeably smaller.
At least one soldier is happy with the new fatigues.
Corporal Bryan Lee, 20, who has tried on the uniform, said: 'The
new look will take some getting used to, but having tried it out in
the field, I must say it is more effective and comfortable.'
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_274704.html
