Heresy!! USAF two-piece flight suit

[FtrPlt]

Recently acquired two sets of USAF Tactical Flight Duty Uniforms (TFDU). They are, for all intents and purposes, the US Army Aviation Combat Uniform (A2CU) made using USAF tiger stripe nomex fabric.

From what I've gathered, these are being withdrawn and/or have already been withdrawn from use in favor of the multicam version.

Mine haven't arrived yet but here's an online photo showing the jacket. Again, identical to the Army two-piece except for the camo pattern. All appear to have been produced by Creative Apparel (apparently now out of business and/or closed pending new contracts)

 

[dmar836]

I have always liked tiger stripe. I guess we are concentrating on sandy conquests for a while!

 

[FtrPlt]

Makes for some interesting, though short-lived, uniforms in the USAF tiger family:

The nomex-blend ABE (Airman Battle Ensemble) -- basically a standard ABU with enhancements -- zipper pockets; extra sleeve pockets; etc. Very heavy fabric so I doubt it breathes well. Not authorizes for stateside wear and not authorized for wear in combat zone.

Tactical Flight Duty Uniform -- AF clone of the Army two-piece flight suit. Not authorized for use overseas (multicam version being used) and I'm not too sure how common an item these are stateside.

I have no idea what type of jacket is worn as a flight jacket with the TFDU? Massif?

 

[Monsoon]

My squadron was issued the multicam version just recently for their A-stan vacation.

 

[FtrPlt]

Apparently some strangeness going on with USAF. None of the two piece flight suits (in all their incarnations -- digi-tiger, tan, ACU, multicam, DriFire/Creative Apparel/Eagle) are authorized for stateside use. TFDU doesn't exist in USAF dress regs except the AFCENT supplement.

From previously deployed airmen, the digi-tiger version was only used for a year or so. Originally intended for use by C-130 and HH-60 crews deployed overseas, it was ultimately approved for wear by all ACC crews in non-eject airframes serving overseas (whether only under AFCENT? Unknown).

Not sure why the two-piece isn't authorized for stateside wear? Those in USAF wearing the two-piece seem to like them. Unsure if USAF crews in Afghanistan are wearing the Dri-Fire version or the Army's A2CU?

 

[Treetopflyer]

The Navy Rotary Wing community is somewhat of a hodgepodge when it comes to the two piece flight suit. Some squadrons are authorized to wear them and others aren't. I don't quite understand it. It may be based on funding, whether the squadron wants to spend the money to outfit all of their pilots and aircrewmen. We have stuck to the solid green or desert tan. No tiger stripes for us.

 

[Monsoon]

Not sure why the two-piece isn't authorized for stateside wear? Those in USAF wearing the two-piece seem to like them. Unsure if USAF crews in Afghanistan are wearing the Dri-Fire version or the Army's A2CU?

I know we were asked for two piece flight suit sizes many times, but it wasn't until this deployment that they actually duffed up the multicam version of them.

I know some 53 guys that got them at the start of OEF/OIF. They said that the crotch blew out of the trousers quite abit.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Probably up to the individual Commander and availability. Back in the 80's our new "Old Man" had us change from Greens Woodland BDU's, White coveralls when it snowed, Jungle boots from April to September, .38 to 9mm, and a few other little things. All of this happened within a couple of months of his arrival.

 

[FtrPlt]

The new procurement process is quite bizarre. Individual units can source/fund their own non-issue clothing yet the parent service does nothing to design/develop an issue item despite 10+ years of combat deployments?

I'm wondering if the rarely-seen CWU-106 falls into the same COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) category?

Moot point, I suppose, since congress has put a halt to service specific camo. The Army recently announced adoption of a multi-cam style pattern to replace the much-despised UCP so I would surmise that USAF will fall into line and adopt the same uniform. Fine by me. The end of the fashion-designer-generals era is long overdue.