The Air Force Uniform Office unveiled new physical training uniforms at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base recently.
This is the first update to the physical training uniform in more than 16 years, and more than 150 Airmen participated in testing the uniform, according to an Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) release Tuesday.
The new uniform features “updated styling with stretch materials to provide comfort and increase performance,” the release said.
The new uniform will be available to Airmen next year, and there will be a four-year transition period for mandatory wear.
“Our main requirement (from Air Force leaders) was to develop a PT uniform that people really wanted to wear and is as good as, if not better than, commercially available athletic wear,” Tracy Roan, chief of the Air Force Uniform Office, said in the AFLCMC release.
“In the past, there was one uniform for all athletic pursuits, whether you were running, playing basketball or lifting weights,” said Col. Paul Burger, 88th Air Base Wing Mission Support Group commander, one of those who tried out the new uniform.
“The approach the Air Force has now taken, is to develop a uniform that is earmarked for runners or running and one that is better designed for some of those other athletic activities,” he added.
With the new gear, Airmen will be issued a jacket, pants, T-shirt and shorts.
The ensemble will have improved fabrics that include soft, quick-drying material and have antimicrobial technology that helps with moisture and odor control, the Air Force said. Other changes include the design of the jacket.
A spokesman for AFLCMC said the Defense Logistics Agency is the procurement agency for the new physical training gear. “We are still in the pre-production phase and a contract has not yet been awarded,” he said.
Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is based at Wright-Patterson.
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