In every serious world power, special attention is paid to providing its own army. This necessarily includes a convenient and practical form in which military personnel can fully perform their duties. So, in the Soviet Union produced "Afghan" - a form of military for the summer or winter. Gradually, this name also passed into the army ranks of the Russian Federation.
A bit of history
"Afghan" - a form that was originally field, and later, due to poor supply, went into the category of everyday uniforms of soldiers. It was used both in the Soviet Army and in the Navy, including the Marines, the Air Force, and missile and artillery troops. Some time after the collapse of the USSR, this military uniform was worn by servicemen of the Russian Federation and the CIS countries until new sets of clothes appeared.
Since the developed set of clothes was delivered to those parts that participated in the Afghan war, the name “Afghan” came from here. The uniform among the soldiers at that time was also called as "Experimental". In addition, the military called the clothes “Sand”, “Varshavka”, “Vole”, etc.
It is noteworthy that the basis for the design served as models of military clothing in the Warsaw Pact countries.
Form Design
In 1975, the Central things department (TsVU) began the development of a set of field summer (winter) clothes for the military. It consisted of several components, namely:
- straight pants;
- field jacket;
- another field jacket with insulation;
- insulated trousers;
- cap.
Over the next year, tests were carried out with different variants of military uniforms. Each set was distinguished by fabric, the presence of pockets and their sizes, tailoring. Two years after the tests, the kits arrived at the warehouses of the clothing services of the Center and various military districts.
It is rightfully considered that the "Afghan" is a form of its own development of the TsVU of the Soviet Union, for which clothing sets of scouts and tankers were taken. The form was approved at the official level in March 1988 as a daily and field one for military airborne forces, as well as other branches and types of army troops, marine corps, etc.
What was included?
According to the order, the military uniform “Afghan” consists of certain parts, among which:
- field jacket;
- straight field pants ;
- field cap (or panama).
This is all part of the summer kit, and the winter, in turn, includes the following:
- insulated field jacket;
- field trousers with insulation;
- a winter hat made of tsigeyki - for officers, and of faux fur - for soldiers called up for military service.
Differences between summer and winter sets
As mentioned above, the "Afghan" (summer form) contains fewer components in its composition and looks lighter. The summer version of the jacket has fastened cuffs, and the cap is replaced with a panama hat if the military serves in places with a hot climate.
“Afghan” (winter uniform) includes a winter jacket with a liner and trousers, to which a warm liner is also provided. Everything is thought out in such a way that both the top and the bottom can be worn without lining. The latter was initially attached using buttons, and then the developers replaced them with buttons. If outerwear is worn without a liner, then she has an ordinary fabric collar, if with a liner - fur.
For convenience, a pocket made of water-repellent material was invented behind the collar, in which you can hide the hood. Sleeves have cuffs to prevent cold air from entering the jacket. In military uniform, many pockets are necessarily provided. These are patch pockets on a jacket in different places, and internal, and even special for the gun. As for this special pocket, leatherette is used to sew it, and it is equipped with a sewn cord with a steel latch for attachment to the gun.
What is common between winter and summer sets? This is the presence of elbow pieces on jackets and knee pads on trousers, which at times increases the wear resistance of matter.
Advantages and benefits
One of the main advantages of the new military uniform, according to the military, is the headgear. He especially proved his effectiveness in Afghanistan. If previously an army panama with wide fields was used, which could have flown to the side with a harsh wind, now everything was kept clear. The only downside is that this piece of equipment without fields has little protection against direct sunlight. Therefore, during the war in Afghanistan, soldiers often combined two clothes to protect themselves from the wind and the bright sun.
As for the jacket and trousers, the winter set turned out to be warm even at zero degrees. Among the pluses are also the convenience and mobility of the jacket compared to a pea jacket or military overcoat.
Today, the Afghan model is often used to develop military clothing in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Estonia, and others.
Disadvantages of "Afghan"
However, there are certain disadvantages that “Afghan” has. The summer form was very hot to wear in warm places. In addition, tarpaulin boots created overheating of the legs, and everything in the complex led to discomfort of the whole organism. An additional minus is the quick burnout of cotton in the sun. The green color gradually turns under the influence of rays into white, and this violates the entire disguise.
Also, this material wears out quickly enough. This was the reason for the use of synthetic fabrics along with natural ones in the manufacture of modern military uniforms. So, the material of the form of NATO soldiers has fire-resistant qualities, and in its very structure there are dense polymer threads.
Color schemes
The original “Afghan” was originally developed in khaki, and some versions were executed in sand tones - the so-called sand form. "Afghan" was made for all parts of the Soviet army, with the exception of the Airborne Forces and the Marine Corps. A couple of years later, they began producing clothes for border guards and military personnel of the state security committee. The Border Guard was distinguished by the fact that it included an unusual beret. And the color of the form was made in a camouflage version by combining two tones - green and mustard. A variation of the “Afghan” camouflage type was also used for the Airborne Forces and the MP, but there is already a combination of three colors: swamp, pistachio and chocolate. This option is called "Bhutan."