Gen III ECWCS Contract Awarded

[wbear]

ADS, Inc. Awarded $220 Million Contract to Manage and Procure the U.S. Army’s New Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System
VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia

(January 3, 2007) – ADS, Inc. announced today that the company has been awarded a $220 million contract to manage and procure the U.S. Army’s new Generation III Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS). As the lead integrator, ADS will capitalize on its unparalleled product expertise and cutting edge distribution operations to lead a team of over ten U.S. technical garment manufacturers and technical textile companies to produce and supply the versatile 7-layer, 12-component system for fielding next winter to Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Full story with comments by 10th Mountain Div here:
http://www.adstactical.com/about_ads/press_releases/010307_genIII.htm

Companys such as Propper, Peckham and Patagonia will produce the 12 items. I know Peckham will make the 2 layers of underwear and the fleece jacket although the jacket will not look like the one on the ADS site. It's supposed to have nylon on the shoulders and elbows and hand warmer pockets on the production versions. More like the older version. Peckham made about 21,000 of the above for the 10th to test last fall and this contract won't be ready till summer but in time for the Mil next fall.

Civilian and Mil accounts are avail at ADS. A civy would pay $1900 for a complete set and would require a fat wallet.

Download their 392 page catalog. More top name stuff to dream about in one place than I've seen in a while.

[aj-0311]

I saw the new stuff last year in A-stan when the 10th showed up. Looked pretty good except the outer layers are in high visibility ACU. They were picked out a LONG distance off.

[Limeyfellow]

That new ecwcs system looks rather nice, particularly the middle insulation layers.

It also has the added bonus of even more of the older ecwcs being surplused off to the civilian market.

[Black Dog]

Expensive yes, but I see that all layers are already for sale on EbaY (Yes, the new ones)

I think that in a short time there will be more sales like that on EbaY. Only governement buys that stuff @ full price I think.

The Fleece jacket - Layer III
http://i4.ebayimg.com/06/i/000/82/22/151d_1.JPG

The softshell Jacket - Level V
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/6/1/6/3/webimg/30712849_tp.jpg

Extreme Cold Weather Parka & Trousers - Level VII
http://img.auctiva.com/imgdata/2/8/6/1/6/3/webimg/30712303_tp.jpg

..all the other levels R 4 sale 2.

[Limeyfellow]

The company itself has already started selling copies to civilians before the military has been even fully equipped is the main reason we seeing alot on ebay already. Its not like I been able to use my cold weather stuff this year. 70 degrees in January is rediclous.

[Apogee]

Send it up to Alaska all ready. We still have the old school ECWCS gear.

[Hollywood!]

I just traded in my old ECWCS, love the GEN III stuff, no complaints from me keeps my ass warm although the ACU pattern does kinda stick out....big suprise.

[Switek]

ECWS-III: Dressed for the Cold
Posted 10-Jan-2007 10:32

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/GEAR_ECWCS-III_Cold_Weather_All-7-Layers_lg.jpg
ECWS-III: all 7 layers

"During Operation Mountain Lion I found myself praying for bad weather, the first time in my military career I was actually begging for a cold front to come through. I knew my soldiers could handle it and the enemy couldn't. ECWCS allowed my men to outlast the enemy on their own terrain. When the enemy was forced out of the mountains due to the bitter cold to take shelter, that's when we got them."
-- LTC Christopher Cavoli, US Army 10th Mountain Division, Afghanistan

This third generation of the Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS-III) is a radical re-design of the cold weather clothing system for the U.S. Army. Atlantic Diving Supply, Inc. (ADS), who has won other significant soldiers' equipment contracts from the US military, recently announced a $220 million contract from the U.S. Army's Program Executive Office, Product Manager, Clothing and Individual Equipment (PEO Soldier's PM-CIE) to manage and procure the ECWCS III set. This is a 1-year contract (W911QY-07-D-0003) which includes the option for 4 additional $220 million 1-year extensions. If all contract options are exercised, therefore, the total contract value could exceed $1.1 billion.

As the lead integrator, ADS will lead a team of over 10 U.S. technical garment manufacturers and technical textile companies to produce and supply the versatile 7-layer, 12-component system for fielding to Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan by the winter of 2008. So, exactly what's in the ECWCS-III...?

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/images/GEAR_ECWS-III_Layer-2_Underwear_lg.jpg
Layer 2 underwear

The Army's PEO-CIE sought significant feedback from industry and Soldiers to develop this fully integrated cold weather layering system

Based on layering systems currently utilized by mountaineering professionals, the Generation III ECWCS system incorporates 7 layers of clothing, including light-weight and mid-weight Polartec® Powerdry® moisture wicking shirt and briefs, a Polartec® Thermal Pro® fleece jacket, a nylon/ spandex wind jacket, a soft shell jacket and trousers using Nextec® fabric, a Gore-Tex® wet weather jacket and trousers, and a Primaloft® insulated loft parka and trousers for extreme cold weather conditions. Wool socks and a fleece cap are also included. Each piece fits and functions either alone or together as a system to provide the most options for the Soldier.

As an improvement upon previous generations, the new Generation III ECWCS is 33% more compressible, 25% lighter, and is rated as more comfortable. It is also more versatile and includes functional features that allow the Soldier to adapt to varying mission requirements and environmental conditions ranging between -40 to +60 degrees Fahrenheit. The U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division field tested 18,000 of the ECWCS-III systems in Afghanistan last fall, and as one can see above, they gave the system a very strong review.

In truth, ECWS-III was an effort to catch up with the rapidly-evolving civilian technologies in this area. Hopefully, the circle will come back around and mail-order versions of ECWS-III spin-offs and sub-sets for civilians won't be too far behind.

Source: DID (http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007/01/ecwsiii-dressed-for-the-cold/index.php#more)

[filthy]

Hello,

ECWCS Gen III Level 7
http://www.adstactical.com/about_ads/gen3_level7.htm

Its juste for US Army or its possible for USMC have the ECWCS Gen III Level 7 ?

Excuse me for old poste and my english

[zonk]

sometimes both services get new upgrades, if they do so for the marines they would do so in the marines colors and such. don't worry about your english, you did a good job getting your question across. i look forward to this new cold weather gear, the ol stuff ie poly pro and the smoking jacket just arent cutting it out there. that comes from an experienced soldiers also

[LineDoggie]

And yet, 27th BCT from NY got the old Black fleece at Ft. Drum RFI last week, and no ACU ECW gear. Way to go AD, keep it for yourselves

[aj-0311]

And yet, 27th BCT from NY got the old Black fleece at Ft. Drum RFI last week, and no ACU ECW gear. Way to go AD, keep it for yourselves


Speak for yourself, I was happy as hell to be able to keep woodland/desert gore-tex. I even traded the ACU bivvy cover for the woodland. Until it's absolutely forced upon me(April 30,2008) I will not wear neon/day-glo/search and recue/fag-o-flage in the field.

[wbear]

Speak for yourself, I was happy as hell to be able to keep woodland/desert gore-tex. I even traded the ACU bivvy cover for the woodland. Until it's absolutely forced upon me(April 30,2008) I will not wear neon/day-glo/search and recue/fag-o-flage in the field.

fag-o-flage. Thats a good one. Never looked at it that way but you may be right.

[Royal]

Speak for yourself, I was happy as hell to be able to keep woodland/desert gore-tex. I even traded the ACU bivvy cover for the woodland. Until it's absolutely forced upon me(April 30,2008) I will not wear neon/day-glo/search and recue/fag-o-flage in the field.

Your UserName is a USMC MOS yet you wear ACU?

Don't think so - Walt - put up or shut up.

[aj-0311]

Your UserName is a USMC MOS yet you wear ACU?

Don't think so - Walt - put up or shut up.

Spent '88-'96 in the Corps and 2000 to present in the Army. I may be in the Army now, but I will ALWAYS be a Marine. The Army was a culture shock at first, but they got used to it.:)

Good enough for ya?

[Adam Wilhelm]

I´m just waiting for HOLLis to come in here and call you boot. p-)

Hell, he can call anyone boot.

[aj-0311]

I´m just waiting for HOLLis to come in here and call you boot. p-)

Hell, he can call anyone boot.

Let's not start that, I went through it with him before:)

[Royal]

Good enough for ya?

It'll do for now mate p-)

[wild_wild_wes]

Are there any issue gloves for ECWCS III?