PLA invests 8 Billion US$ on new generation uniform

Just before 80th anniversary of PLA foundation, Type 2007 military uniform will begin to replace current Type 87 and Type 97 uniform in PLA forces. The issuing time of new uniform is from August 1st 2007 to December 2009

In the just finished 6th Singapore Asia Security summit (Sixth Shangri-La Dialogue), Lieutenant General Zhang Qinsheng, Deputy Chief of the PLA General Staff, said that the research and production of new type 07 uniform costs 8 billion US dollars. And it means that the PLA will spend 24500 RMB (over 3000 $) on every soldier or officer.

The Type 07 uniform is developed by PLA Logistics Munitions & Equipments Research Institute (LMERI) and is based on Type 97 uniform designed for PLA Hang Kong Troops. This great reform of PLA uniform includes dress, ordinary duty uniform, camouflaged uniform and decoration accessories.

The significant improvement in this alternation is to provide dress uniform for officers. The dress uniforms have dress for officers and ceremonial dress for three forces honor guard. It is a variety of parade uniforms and the materials is greatly improved than before. The dress uniform has three colors: pine green (Army), White (Navy) and Deep Gray Blue(Air Force). PLA has accepted the cold color trend in world wide military uniform.

The ordinary duty uniform is divided into spring-autumn season, winter season and summer season. For navy's international visiting, the navy ordinary duty uniform color is changed to golden white and the rank is worn on the sleeve for the first time.

Type 07 uniform's camouflaged uniform has 4 categories: forest combat Camouflage, desert combat Camouflage, urban combat Camouflage and oceanic combat Camouflage.

In order to increasing service people dignity and proud, the new generation uniform contain sorts of decorations and tags, including identity tag, meritorious service tag and aiguillette for officer uniform; service tag for soldier uniform; metal collar insignia and breast tag worn in summer duty uniform.

The looking of Type 07 uniform shows that Chinese modern military uniform is being improved to western style and erased the so-called features of "revolutionary"

Comparing with US military uniform’s opening bidding and R&D by private companies, on the contrary, the previous uniforms in PLA were usually developed by LMERI and produced in state-owned military clothing factories. But the birth of Type 07 uniform is involved with several domestic well-known cloth designers. The production however still close door to Chinese powerful and efficient private clothing firms.

The appearance of new uniform is under the plan of PLA General Logistics Department (GID). GID’s “Armed Forces Logistics Construction Plan before Year 2010” clearly announced that new dress uniform, new camouflage combat uniform will be issued to armed forces before 2010. Some other resources show that the new uniform is one of the steps for the Urgent Response Combat in sensitive period from 2008 to 2009.