Night Desert "Mod" Parka.

[Scrim]

Whatever happened to the "Night Desert" Camouflage?
http://www.onpoi.net/ah/pics/users/580_1107965519_image151.jpg

When I arrived at my unit, they had just got back from GW1, it was a must have item. (not issued).
We looked like the cast from "Quadrophenia" when we were out in the field. That thing was great for wrapping up warm in when you were stuck out on some crappy OP or road guard.
Havent seen one in ages, anyone know what happened to them? Why?

[Dalleer]

Apparently the current night vision devices have made the pattern in this parka obsolete.

[Hyper]

Heard they don't work so good.

http://yarchive.net/mil/night_camo_clothing.html

[Dalleer]

I will always chuckle when I see or hear of the desert night
camouflage parka and trousers. Next thing we will get is blue paint for
the bottom of our boots ????

Heh..

The man has a point.

[TacoDelRio]

Does it have any advantages?

I ask cause I badly need a new ECW parka or whatever, adn there's one at the surplus store near me.

[ADavis]

The "night desert" pattern disrupts most low level NVG's(Gen1), but does not work well with Gen2+ and Gen3.....this pattern was decomissioned shortly after the Gulf War.

[Roaming East]

Well, not entirely decommissioned, the light weight goretex DCU jacket i was issued a year ago is reversible with the night pattern on the inside and the regular 3 color desert on the other

[Dalleer]

Does it have any advantages?

I ask cause I badly need a new ECW parka or whatever, adn there's one at the surplus store near me.

Well , I bet this "night desert camouflage parka" is certainly no ECWS parka - quality , but if it's cheap then I don't see any harm in buying one.. I guess it's "warm enough" in some climates..

And please , let me remind you that it's only a piece of clothing you are supposed to put over your regular BDU's , so I suppose it doesn't have anything in the way of real insulation or water-proof capabilities or such..

And what comes to this "DCU jacket" that Mr. Roaming east has been issued with , well.. If this particular camouflage pattern doesn't work against newer generation NVG's , then what is the point of giving something like that to a soldier that could just as well as assume that the pattern works and walk around with the "night desert" - side on top.

Is this another good example of "the grunt getting screwed over ?" or perhaps nobody's bothered to declare the "night desert" - pattern obsolete over there..

[Scrim]

Heard they don't work so good.

http://yarchive.net/mil/night_camo_clothing.html


Thanks man. Yeah I remember looking at them through NVGs and thinking what the **** is that supposed to do? The only advantage being there was no black in the pattern. But damn they were comfy!

[TacoDelRio]

Thanks, Dalleer.

[slobo]

Well, not entirely decommissioned, the light weight goretex DCU jacket i was issued a year ago is reversible with the night pattern on the inside and the regular 3 color desert on the other

Just picking up this old thread.

http://www.adventuretech.com/catalog_reversible.html

Is this the reversible gore-tex item you were talking about? --From AdventureTech?

Are these on current issue ti USA and/or USMC or are these "aftermarket" items? Are they available in the PX?

If aftermarket, are the y popular? Are they frowned upon by higher ups as not authorized? How do they compare with the ECWCS? Being lighter, would seem that they are better for many conditions as the ECWCS can be very bulky.

[oldsoak]

Be Careful - night vision just amplifies ambient light- so a well camouflaged soldier will be just as difficult to spot unless you are using an illuminator. If you obey the rules for daytime camouflage - ie shape shine shadow and all that, you will be difficult to pick up. Contrast with your surroundings is the key.

[James]

In the mid and late 90s snipers in my unit made ghillies out of night parkas.