The army has taken on a new look with an updated uniform. The first soldiers to enjoy the clothing and wear the multi-terrain camouflage uniforms are members of New Zealand 1st Brigade.
Captain Ian Leabourne, one of the project managers involved in the introduction of the uniforms, said they had
many benefits.
"We have traditionally had our two patterns of uniform, one for the jungle and one for the desert. With the operational environments we face today, we can be operating in a variety of terrains within one area. We needed something which would do the job in whatever environment we deploy to. This uniform, with its unique New Zealand Defence Force pattern, solves this issue.
"The uniforms are a layered clothing system, so it is not just a case of a new look. We have included the full range of clothing which our soldiers need to perform well on operations and in training," says Captain Leabourne.
The uniforms include knee and elbow pads and there is also a flame-resistant variant for soldiers to wear on operations. The layered system features the inclusion of wet and cold weather clothing layers, which are designed to fit underneath and over the uniforms.
