Indian Air Force Day 2022: IAF chief unveils new digital camouflage uniforms; know its features
Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari revealed the first look of what is called a digitally camouflage uniform for the air force’s ground personnel. The IAF’s Garud Special Forces use camouflage uniforms akin to the army.
FollowThe Indian Air Force (IAF) on Saturday (October 8) marked its 90 years of service with a dazzling air show at Chandigarh's Sukhna lake. This is the first time that the event has been moved out of the national capital region by the IAF.
Besides the enthralling display in the skies, the Indian Air Force's Chief of Air Staff unveiled the new combat uniform for air force personnel on Saturday.
Also read: Indian Air Force Day 2022: History, significance and wishes to share on social media
Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari revealed the first look of what is called a digitally camouflage uniform for the air force’s ground personnel. The IAF’s Garud Special Forces use camouflage uniforms akin to the army.
According to reports, the new combat uniform is believed to borrow features that were unveiled earlier this year by the Army when it too adopted a new digital camouflaged combat uniform.
Most militaries across the world have switched to disruptive digital patterns in camouflage uniform. The battle fatigues are now pixelated designs, not the organic patterns that were used earlier.
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The digital pattern is all-terrain friendly giving personnel the flexibility to move from say desert, woodland, mountainous and urban landscape without detection more easily.
It can be seen that the Indian Army's new combat uniform was designed by the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) and unveiled on Army Day in January this year. While the IAF's uniform upgrade may borrow elements from the design, it will be customised for the conditions that the IAF's ground personnel operate in.
Besides the new pattern, the IAF uniform also has a different (breathable and lightweight) fabric and design that will increase comfort and efficiency of personnel. The ergonomic fitting is a feature that allows both male and female ground duty personnel to maximise their operational capability.
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The new uniforms are for all terrains and all-seasons, allowing manufacturers to cut costs by mass producing the new fatigues.
The IAF is the fourth largest operational Air Force in the world and was formed on this day in 1932 as the UK Royal Air Force's supporting force. After India won its independence, the air force was renamed the Bharatiya Vayu Sena or Indian Air Force.
(This is a breaking news story. More updates will soon be added.)
