The Army Aircrew Combat Uniform (A2CU) is a two-piece

flight suit A flight suit is a full-body garment, worn while flying aircraft such as military airplanes, gliders and helicopters. These suits are generally made to keep the wearer warm, as well as being practical (plenty of pockets), and durable (includ ...

formerly in the

Universal Camouflage Pattern The Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) is a digital military camouflage pattern formerly used by the United States Army in their Army Combat Uniform. Technicians at Natick Soldier Systems Center attempted to devise a uniform pattern that wo ...

, but now

Operational Camouflage Pattern Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), originally codenamed Scorpion W2, is a military camouflage pattern adopted in 2015 by the United States Army for use as the U.S. Army's main camouflage pattern on the Army Combat Uniform (ACU). This pattern ...

that offers the soldier protection from

flash fire A flash fire is a sudden, intense fire caused by ignition of a mixture of air and a dispersed flammable substance such as a solid (including dust), flammable or combustible liquid (such as an aerosol or fine mist), or a flammable gas. It is charact ...

s. The coat is similar to the ACU in design, with a stand-up collar featuring a front extension, shoulder patches, a front

zipper A zipper, zip, fly, or zip fastener, formerly known as a clasp locker, is a commonly used device for binding together two edges of fabric or other flexible material. Used in clothing (e.g. jackets and jeans), luggage and other bags, camping ...

, two inside hanging chest pockets with flaps; adjustable waist; two-piece set-in sleeves with elbow patches; two sleeve utility pockets with flaps and Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) tabs; and two lower sleeve pencil pockets with flaps. It can be worn with the Air Warrior Microclimate Cooling Vest. The trousers have nine pockets: two thigh pockets; two calf pockets with external tool pockets; one knife pocket with

lanyard A lanyard is a cord, length of webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, and activation and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or low ...

(on the left thigh); and two side hanging pockets.

Pocket A pocket is a bag- or envelope-like receptacle either fastened to or inserted in an article of clothing to hold small items. Pockets are also attached to luggage, backpacks, and similar items. In older usage, a pocket was a separate small bag ...

s (except for the side hanging pockets and the lower leg external tool pockets) have flaps and zippers. The A2CU upgrades the current

Improved Aviation Battle Dress Uniform Improved may refer to: * Improved clinch knot, a knot commonly used to secure a fishing line * Improved-definition television (IDTV) * Improved Touring, a category of classifications for cars in amateur road racing * Improved Orion, an American r ...

protective clothing system and provides operational effectiveness, fit, suitability, and durability, addressing near-term Air Warrior requirements in the universal camouflage pattern. The A2CU is made of a blend of 92 percent

Nomex Nomex is a flame-resistant meta-aramid material developed in the early 1960s by DuPont and first marketed in 1967. Properties Nomex and related aramid polymers are related to nylon, but have aromatic backbones, and hence are more rigid and m ...

, five percent

Kevlar Kevlar (para-aramid) is a strong, heat-resistant synthetic fiber, related to other aramids such as Nomex and Technora. Developed by Stephanie Kwolek at DuPont in 1965, the high-strength material was first used commercially in the early 1970s ...

, and three percent anti-static dissipative fiber. The A2CU has also been adopted for use by the

US Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Aerial warfare, air military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part ...

, where it is known as the Airman Aircrew Combat Uniform.

References

; Attribution {{US Army uniforms United States Army uniforms Aviation wear