As trees in Malta disappear, the army ditches its ‘woodland pattern’ camouflage
You couldn’t make this up. Malta: the place where satire writes itself and nobody understands it and gets upset. There’s a story in Times of Malta today: ‘New combat uniform for AFM’.
A new combat uniform has been launched by the Armed Forces of Malta to replace the woodland camouflage pattern used to date.
The new uniform pattern has been studied and designed to cope with the increasingly diverse operating environments of a modern army and is specifically designed for dry climates such as that of the Maltese islands.
Aside from the fact that the very idea of the Maltese army being involved in combat for which it requires camouflage is ridiculous (their uniforms might as well be pillar-box red or fluorescent yellow), the seriousness with which the switch from ‘woodland camouflage’ has been announced is the stuff of comedy.
This is, after all, the island which has unofficially declared a war on trees.
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http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140801/local/new-combat-uniform-for-afm.530169
Not to be an anorak, but this is Times of Malta’s fault for having uncultured journalists. It should be Woodland, with a capital W, because that’s the name of a specific camouflage pattern (first developed and used by the US).
Also, you don’t “launch” a uniform, like you would launch a product or a line of lingerie. You “field” it. Or you simply “replace” you previous uniform.
Where does the ‘woody’ get into it?
Well said!
Seeing they sit in an office all day here’s a suggestion for their furniture.
http://www.wayfair.com/Kids-Seating-l359-c473078-O75191~Camouflage.html
Unknowingly you have given a bright idea to those who plan to furnish their hunting dura. A comfortable armchair would be most wellcomed while waiting to shoot anything that moves.
By the way, do they sell parasols in camouflage just to complete the set?
Probably the script was cut and paste from some marketing material of the person providing the uniforms – probably some taghna lkoller importer
Was there any call for tenders for the provision of the new army outfit – or was it all a Top Secret undertaking?
Those Taghna Lkoll guys at Adventure Camping maybe?
Just copy the attire of the Maltese hunter and trapper. If it fools the eagle-eyed, it will fool the enemy.
The new camouflage is meant to blend in with the concrete jungle evolving under a MEPA tasked with the promotion of high rise buildings and the simultaneous protection of the environment.
Somehow it’s got a touch of the redneck to it.
There’s more to this than the war on trees, and some very serious issues too.
So the AFM is going for the newest, shiniest pattern out there, Multicam, copyright Crye Precision. Fine. But we’ll probably have the only soldiers in the world wearing Multicam and carrying a Chinese-made Type 56 assault rifle.
Manuel Mallia has his budget priorities terribly wrong. The AFM’s standard issue rifle is obsolete, non-NATO standard, non-NATO altogether, and frankly, ridiculous if when we’re taking part in multinational operations. It makes us look excactly what we are – a starving nation existing by the grace of China.
Back in the heady days of PfP, when the AFM planned to integrate a full infantry company into the Italian contingent, the planners immediately came up against the obvious problem – a separate logistics chain for the Maltese, because we were the only ones who would be carrying a non-NATO rifle. So there was talk of replacing the Type 56 by the Beretta AR 790/90. In the end, the whole thing fell through because there was no money.
The AFM’s budget is tight, very tight. Many procurement projects have fallen by the wayside these last twenty years. Two twin-engined helicopters are not nearly enough. The reorganisation of the Detention Service and the recruitment of new personnel is a shambles.
But we’ve now gone for the shiny kit. Good. As long as we get the accessories to match.
http://www.scifibloggers.com/wp-content/uploads/IRL_1A.jpg
No mules were hurt in the making of future conflicts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr-wBpYpSfE
They call it Alphadog, If it can carry, it can attack in packs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2RX1px924Y
Watch the film.
Future conflicts are already being fought now. In bed. Demographics, my dear Jozef. And China wins. Again.
Give me an AK variant over the Beretta any day.
It depends on the variant. And the main problem is ammunition supply. The AFM is not expected to fight wars on its own.
Does dry climate refer to lack of rain or lack of humidity? We have little of one and lots of the other.
MTP camouflage pattern – current British issue.
It looks like the US version of Multicam. MTP has DPM-like swirls. The one in the photo doesn’t.
Dozens of ancient olive trees were smothered beneath thousands of tons of stones, rubble and rubbish just a few months ago in Iklin Valley.
The environmental massacre is visible to all from the main road below.
All with MEPA’s blessing, it seems.
Or is it? A gift from the Chinese people to the army of Malta? The helmet is what confounded me and am not sure if it is Chinese or American.
French. SPECTRA by MSA Gallet.
The army may be out of their ‘woodland pattern’ but they’re certainly not out of the woods, not under this lot they won’t be.
And the kaccaturi show their true colours, their concern in a nutshell: them and their image (to make sure that public pressure does not impinge hunting of course).
“It is inconceivable that some persist in their criminal activity knowing the consequences of their despicable actions on legal hunting and being aware of the damage to the public’s perception of hunting,” Kaccaturi San Ubertu said.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140804/local/tough-action-demanded-for-persons-who-caught-protected-birds.530483
Tweet, tweet, what about the effects on the birds and the rights of non-hunters to enjoy them in the wild and protect them for posterity?
Are we permitted to say **** San Ubertu taghkom?
bob-a-job, I think you have got it wrong mate!!! Not all the soldiers sit around in an office all day, you prat!!…..And I should know……;)