Canadian Forces ICU Improved Combat Uniform

New “Improved Combat Uniform” for Canadian Forces
Canadian Enhanced Combat Uniform (ECU)

UNIFORME DE COMBAT AMÉLIORÉ (UCA)

As you probably know, the pixilated digital camouflage pattern known as CADPAT (Canadian Disruptive Pattern camouflage) started something of a revolution in camouflage design when it was officially adopted in 1997 and rolled out for the Canadian Army in 2002. However, although the camouflage pattern was ground-breakingly ultra-modern, the uniform it was produced in was exactly the same design as the standard OG Combat Uniform that had been adopted for all branches of the Canadian Military in 1963.

Since the Canadian involvement in Afghanistan there have been some minor, incremental changes to the design of the Combat Uniform (most notably, the change to covered buttons on the pockets in order to reduce snagging on equipment) but nonetheless the Combat Uniform design has remained basically the same for almost 50 years! Now, quite why it has taken so long for the Canadians to update their uniform design is anyone’s guess, and the real irony is that the new uniform won’t even be introduced until after Canadian forces have left Afghanistan (having first arrived with only the Temperate version of CADPAT to wear).

The Improved Combat Uniform - UNIFORME DE COMBAT AMÉLIORÉ (UCA)
Canadian Enhanced Combat Uniform (ECU)