The Russian army will switch to new uniforms next year - the so-called. “Digit” (field form with special pixel colors). As the military authorities promise, it is much better, more practical and reliable than the current one.
"The price of the issue" is not so small: for the complete re-uniforming of personnel it will take 5-5.5 billion rubles, said on November 17 the Deputy Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Colonel-General Dmitry Bulgakov at the 10th anniversary exhibition "Russian manufacturers Armed Forces ".
Needless to say, our troops needed a new uniform for a long time. Remembering the Soviet soldier uniform of the 70-80-ies, it is difficult to get rid of the feeling that it was invented by not killed pests. Introduced in the early 1990s, "camouflage" turned out to be more practical, and even decent-looking (except for half-hat caps), but even in the field it got wet quickly, did not dry well, and was often torn and wiped. And it is no coincidence that in various hot spots and local wars, our guys usually looked like ragamuffins. About shoes - generally a separate conversation. Army kirzachs were quite tolerable footwear to knead the mud of the middle lane, but, for example, in mountainous conditions they became uniform blocks on soldiers' legs.
On May 19, 2007, the new Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced that the army needed a new uniform. It was then that it was decided to "repaint" the everyday uniform from olive to light gray, to remove the breast pockets, and to paint the ceremonial tunics in the color of the sea wave. The developers were tasked with combining modern requirements for uniforms with the traditions of the Soviet and Tsarist armies.
According to news agencies, specialists from fashion houses Igor Chapurin, Valentin Yudashkin, the Central Research Institute of the Textile Industry, the Central Research Institute of Leather and Footwear and the heraldic department of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation participated in its development.
The sets of military clothing of the new model underwent a long experimental wearing, and only after that they were sent for approval to the president. The only exception is the uniform for wearing in areas with hot climates: its trial operation is still ongoing.
In 2009, soldiers and officers for the first time went to a military parade on Red Square in uniforms "from Yudashkin." Even then, the servicemen complained that the sides of the tunics of the new form were lowered too low, and almost all of the chest was exposed to the wind. It was decided to slightly change the cut of the uniforms by raising the sides of the ceremonial tunics. And there were a lot of such adjustments, and not only in parades, but also in everyday and field uniforms. The military, in particular, abandoned button-down shirts, tie hooks, etc. The dress uniforms underwent the greatest changes: there was more gold embroidery on the officers' uniforms, and the silhouette became more elegant.
The field form is also very different from the previous one. On everyday uniforms, in particular, patch pockets have disappeared. The collar of the "camouflage" was raised higher so that it covered not only the neck, but also the throat. A hood appeared on the summer field uniform.
But the fundamental difference between the new military clothing lies not only in external changes. The main thing is that the form has become more functional. For example, a new "vole" and sets of special uniforms, in which servicemen work on military equipment, are impregnated with a composition that gives the uniform heat resistance.
Some overalls are equipped with metal zippers for convenience and, again, for safety reasons. Most of the elements of the form are made of natural materials - wool, cotton, leather, which do not harm their owner during intense physical exertion or external influences.
"Independent Military Review" of March 19 of this year reported that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev approved the transition of the Russian army to new uniforms. The new soldier's set includes 35 items of clothing, the officer's - 36, the general's - 37. The cost of each set increased: the soldier's set - from 11,000 to 26,000 rubles, and the general's - from 100,000 to 300,000. The creation of samples of the new military uniform cost 170 million rubles, the newspaper claims.
The same edition, dated February 7, 2010, sharply went over to Valentin Yudashkin himself: “What does the couturier have to do with it? Very much even "in business", if on his coat made of soft hydrophobic leather, astrakhan hats, numerous jackets, mufflers, gloves, gold embroidery and other tsatzki in the next three years from the budget shake out almost a billion dollars. For the creation of only podium samples, they have already forked out for 5, 5 million full-fledged American money. So Mr. Yudashkin would explain to me the whole value of such an acquisition, taking into account our military present and the near future. True, last year, at the presentation of samples at the Ministry of Defense, Yudashkin explained that "the new uniform was modeled so that it was elegant and wanted to serve in it."
Yudashkin himself reacts nervously to such attacks. In an interview with Komsomolskaya Pravda, he said: “I wonder where all this excitement comes from ?! There were 40 of us in the Ministry of Defense at the tender. I was alone pulled out, isolated from the general context, and now - take the rap!"
However, other, more objective experts say that the form approved by the head of state can hardly be called Yudashkin's. First, more than 40 organizations participated in its development. Secondly, during the year that military clothing was tested in the troops, dozens of changes were made to it. “Do not forget that a large team was working on a set of new uniforms,” and recalled. O. Chairman of the Scientific and Technical Committee of the Central Clothing Department of the Ministry of Defense Leonid Shcherbatsevich. True, by agreement with Valentin Yudashkin, all changes in military clothing were coordinated with him. He was told why this or that element was not satisfied, and what adjustments needed to be made. He agreed with all the proposals. Some still argue that the uniforms "from Yudashkin" are three times more expensive than the previous ones. A number of details of the new dress uniform are of imported origin. The designer himself explains the high prices by "using advanced technologies and the latest materials."
But in his speech on November 17, Colonel-General Bulkagov categorically denied rumors about the excessive cost of the new form. Moreover, he even denied the assertion that the transition to a new military uniform would cost the state budget 25 billion rubles. “I have been explaining for three years now: this amount, 25 billion rubles, comes from nowhere and what it consists of. The armed forces are switching to a new uniform within three years, and there is no talk of any 25 billion, the general said. - We change our army for three years, because uniforms, inventory items and personal belongings of military personnel have a certain service life. Both the presidential decree and the government decree stipulate that we are planning to switch to a new uniform, taking into account the period of wearing those items that the servicemen have. “Thus, the transition of the army to a new uniform will require 5, maximum - 5, 5 billion rubles.” - insisted Bulgakov.
Recall that the figure of 25 billion was named a week ago by the chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security Viktor Ozerov. “Within three years, servicemen of the army and navy will switch to a new uniform, including conscripts and cadets of military educational institutions,” Ozerov said and promised that these funds will be allocated from the federal budget. Moreover, it even followed from his words that 12, 2348 billion rubles were allocated for 2011, 12, 2329 billion rubles for 2012, and 13, 2308 billion rubles for 2013.
Bulgakov, in addition, confirmed that from 2012 it is planned to change the procedure for providing military personnel undergoing military service under a contract with items of military uniform for personal use. At the same time, university graduates, as well as soldiers and sergeants, when concluding the first contract, will be provided with a full set of military uniforms. In the future, soldiers and officers will not receive the uniform itself, but funds for its purchase. Servicemen will receive 20-25 thousand rubles annually for these purposes. and more depending on the category of military service.
In principle, everything looks quite logical, but the same "Independent Military Review" recalls how in July last year General Bulgakov said that the price of a set of military uniforms increased for generals from 104,000 to 295,000 rubles, and for soldiers - from 11 000 to 26 000 rubles. “As for the officer's uniform, we can say that it is nevertheless closer in price to a general's than to a soldier's. And, compensating 20-25 thousand rubles. per year, the Ministry of Defense will save billions,”the newspaper concludes.
“In order to avoid abuse, only servicemen will be able to buy a military uniform upon presentation of an identity card. I would like to add: if it is on sale. Now military units are announcing tenders for sewing the required number of sets, and the same home front service orders tens of thousands of sets. And who will sew the uniform for sale, what sizes, in what quantities and at what price? Which merchants will do this? And who will place the state defense order for modern fabrics and accessories, so that later they can sew a uniform out of them? Do not forget that in addition to the summer there is also a winter uniform, which will be more expensive. A complete set of an officer's uniform is 36 items. If no one undertakes to produce any of them, there will be a shortage. Surrender, after a while the whole army, following the contract soldiers, instead of a new uniform, will put on an average camouflage.
The Russian army partly goes back to the days of feudalism, when the nobles went to military service with their horse, saber and pistols. And they "built" the military uniform themselves, receiving "clothes" from the treasury. Therefore, in the works of Russian classics, there are so many officers from the small landed nobility in darned and worn army coats, "NVO lists its fears.
