Why doesn the Air Force just adopt the Armys ACU? Isn it wasteful for the Air Force to develop, produce and distribute a new uniform in todays constrained fiscal environment?
The goal for the ABU was to develop a distinctive Air Force uniform that is better fitting and easier and less expensive to maintain. These goals were developed in response to input from Airmen across the force. The Air Force Clothing Office created a matrix of all the suggestions and complaints sent to the Air Force Uniform Board for several years. The current BDU received the most complaints and suggestions. Because the BDU is an Army owned uniform, the Air Force could not make changes to it. When the Army decided it would discontinue the current BDU and DCU, it did not have any designs to share with the Air Force either. This provided a unique opportunity for the Air Force to take input from Airmen and develop a uniform that can meet the specific needs of the Air Force while retaining the flexibility to adapt to changes as they occur over time.
