Corps seeks updates to inclement weather combat shirts

Marine procurement officials will likely purchase tens of thousands of updated inclement weather combat shirts this year that should be more comfortable, more durable and lighter while still providing protection against burns.

Procurement oOfficials with Marine Corps Systems Command recently asked industry manufacturers to pitch superior and cheaper materials for the shirt. The intent is IWCS with the intent to update the IWCS product description and award a contract for 35,000 new shirts, mostly in woodland pattern, sometime in fiscal 2015, according to a mid-November sources sought notice updated in mid-November on FedBizOpps.gov.

According to the notice, Marine project manager infantry combat equipment officials are "is conducting market research to determine if IWCS materials exist that meet or exceed the requirement." the notice reads. The Corps officials want "project manager "prefers materials that are significantly lighter, less bulky and stiff, and less expensive without sacrificing any flame resistant protection."

The materials submitted should meet current flame resistant FR requirements, the notice states, to include " including vertical flame, thermal protective performance, and thermal shrinkage."

The shirt, first introduced in 2010, was designed to be worn over the standard combat shirt. It provides Marines more warmth with a breathable garment that incorporates wind and water resistance while maintaining protection against the heat and flames of a bomb blast. It is currently produced in desert and woodland Marine pattern MARPAT as well as Navy Working Uniform types II and III and NWUType III, which are digital patterns in color schemes similar to the Marine Corps'.

When asked what prompted the search for an improved version, including whether the desired changes were if it was based on feedback from the fleet, MARCORSYSCOM officials said only that the command, "believed industry has the capability to produce materials that are significantly lighter, less bulky and stiff, and less expensive without sacrificing flame protection and possibly at equal or lower cost than the current IWCS materials."

Officials did not say whether Marines would participate in field testing by wearing the new shirts. They said When asked how new materials would be evaluated, officials said," the standard method to evaluate new or improved items is to perform lab testing and user evaluations." but did not say if that would include field testing or which Marines, if any, would participate.