Multicam and UCP-D Chestrigs

I have two very interesting chestrigs. One is the well known 2009 UCP-D, the other is a 2006 dated Multicam rig. Lots of similarities between the two, but several significant differences. Especially the design of the velcro straps that secure the magazines and the setup for the shoulder harness.

The seller sent me the wrong rig. The one pictured had the same contract info, but was made by The Specialty Group, Inc. That is the same manufacture as the UCP-D rig. This means at least two companies were producing the Multicam rig.

The thing that really perplexes me is the date of the Multicam rig. 2006 is after Multicam was initially rejected in favor of UCP, 3 years earlier than the trials which led to the adoption of Multicam. The contract number appears to indicate these are both experimental items. Anybody hazard a guess to explain the Multicam rig?









Some detail pics of the differences:







Steve

Ooh, UCP-D! Nice pieces.

I currently have three of these and just sold one. Not sure of the tag on the one I sold. Of the three remaining they are as follows:

(two of them from same MFG)
Same NSN as yours.
Contract: W911Qy-06-D-0003-0021
KY Lot 2 and KY Lot 3
The Specialty Group, INC

(The third)
Same NSN
Contract: W911QY-06-D-0004
Hand written lot number
Eagle Industries

Interesting!! So there are at least *three* companies that manufactured these under the same general contract.

When I checked out the Mulitcam NSN it is (not surprisingly) legit. I couldn't figure out what most of codes are, however I did see that the item wasn't required to have a minimum stock quantity. The UCP-D NSN search didn't work because MCN's are not stored in the same database. Here is a quote from a US Army website about MCNs:

An item is assigned an NSLIN or MCN for one of three reasons. The first, and most common, reason is that the item is a commercially procured item requiring property book accounting; automation equipment falls into this category. The second reason is that the item has an NSN but not a LIN and requires property book accounting. In this case, the NSN can be used, but an NSLIN will have to be assigned. The third reason is that newly procured equipment is fielded before the item manager type-classifies it and enters it into the standard catalog.

http://www.almc.army.mil/alog/issues/janfeb06/catalog_proced.html

Further, someone has identified the "F" as possibly representing "U.S. Army Support Office, Philadelphia (clothing and textiles)"

http://wikileaks.org/wiki/Management_Control_Number

In any case, it would appear that the Multicam chestrig was produced in significant numbers and was intended for long term supply. The UCP-D chestrig, on the other hand, was intended for only short term testing.

Steve

I haven't read fully up on these but these, I don't think, are being marketed as chest rigs. They are designed to be worn with the IOTV as the carrier for magazines now. Also from what I've seen the riflemans kit (which this is now a part of) does not get the fighting load carrier issued with it. That's just my observations as I havn't been issued OCP (Multicam) yet.

I think the issue with the multiple manufacturers boils down to need and necessity. We're trying to put a lot of clothing and equipment on a lot of Soldiers backs in theater and we need to do it as quickly as possible.

Yeah, these things are definitely designed to work with IOTV. However, they do come with shoulder straps which allow them to be used like a traditional chest rig. Though I can't see that happening much. If you need to go into the field with that many mags, what are the chances you'd leave the body armor back at the FOB?

The thing that's odd about the 2006 date, and apparent scale of production, is Multicam wasn't in official US military use at the time. Special Forces, as always, excepted. It wasn't even on the official radar yet since Congress hadn't mandated the Army ditch UCP.

Steve

A thread with more information about the TAPs. http://oefoif.forumotion.net/t1027-molle-ii-tactical-assault-panel?highlight=Tactical+assault+panel

Great thread!

Arch, what is the date on your PEO Experimental TAP?

Steve

The shoulder straps that come with the system are for use with the IOTV. If I can ever figure out the new printer I'll scan a copy of the directions.

And even though SF gets some of the neato cool stuff I know guys in group (yes, on A Teams) that are still wearing UCP. They've been "planning" on getting OCP for the last four months.