Vancouver, B.C., July 27, 2012, The New Zealand Army has formally announced their new Multi Terrain Camouflage Uniform (MCU pattern) to replace their current DPM and DDPM.

Hyperstealth Biotechnology Corp. was asked to provide a camouflage pattern for New Zealand Army Camouflage Trials in early 2011. These field trials began with 12 patterns on cloth or paper including their DPM and DDPM, then down selected to 5 patterns to be made into uniforms for semi-final field trials and then into the finals between the two top patterns. Our pattern tied the runner up in the finals in 3 of the 5 terrains with ours scoring slightly better in the final 2 terrains. Due to the close results the Army decided that the winner would be based on aesthetics with a wide cross section of the Army weighing in and an overwhelming 80% decided on the Hyperstealth/ADS Inc. pattern (Shown above).

Ironically, recent media reports have spoken of the demise of digital pixelated patterns in favor of the Multicam pattern (Crye Precision) being used by the U.S. Army in Afghanistan and the very similar British MTP (MultiTerrian Pattern) also developed by Crye. The pixelated New Zealand MCU outperformed the Crye pattern in New Zealand Army Field Trials across a wide range of environments.  

If the MCU camouflage looks familiar we've been showing it at the past five ADS Inc. Warrior Expo trade shows in May 2011 and July 2011 (see photo below) and May, June, July 2012. It was also featured in the ADS Inc. booth at the Shot Show in January 2012, (Yes it's another Hyperstealth/ADS Inc. Ghostex pattern, the Afghanistan Elite Special Forces use the Hyperstealth/ADS inc. Ghostex Kilo-1) although we were not allowed to mention at the shows that New Zealand was trialing this Ghostex pattern.   

ADS Inc. and Guy Cramer have also partnered on the Phase IV U.S. Army Camouflage program with their US4CES family of patterns. These US4CES patterns were also down selected for the U.S. Army finals and are the only pixelated patterns to make the finals against 3 other companies, one being Crye Precision. U.S. Army Field Trials began a few weeks ago, with final testing to end in October of 2012, a decision is expected shortly after.   

Thanks to Jesse Smith at PredatorBDU for the intel on this breaking story

For Official information on the New Zealand MCU Camouflage see their Army News Online Magazine (6+ Megs): http://www.army.mil.nz/downloads/pdf/army-news/armynews433.pdf

For more information on the demise of digital pixelated patterns see: Are Digital Pixel Camouflage Patterns Ineffective?

For more information on Ghostex Patterns see: http://www.ghostex.com/

For Information on the US4CES Family of Camouflage see: ADS U.S. Army Family of Camouflage Program – US4CES™