Denmark switched supplier. Now the Nordic Combat Uniform is changing

The Nordic Combat Uniform is being modified. After Denmark decided this summer to replace parts of the uniform, Norway has now decided to make changes to the design as well. It was originally developed as a joint uniform system for four Nordic countries, but more and more differences are starting to emerge. In this article, I explain why this has happened and what exactly is being changed.

Lees dit artikel over het Nordic Combat Uniform in het Nederlands op Prettybusiness.nl – klik hier.

One Nordic Combat Uniform for four countries

It started in 2015 as an ambitious joint project. Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway decided to procure a new uniform system together. Each country would have its own camouflage pattern, but the basic design would be the same. The Nordic Combat Uniform System, or NCU, came with a price tag of €425 million. A significant investment, although joint procurement was expected to create economies of scale.

On paper, it makes sense. Buying together can reduce costs. But whether that will work out in practice remains to be seen. It is the first time four countries have jointly procured a military uniform system, and the process has turned out to be considerably more complicated than expected.

In July 2026, I wrote about Denmark, which started looking for another supplier after experiencing problems with the uniform. The country selected Belgian company Seyntex, which has extensive experience producing military uniforms in Europe. The company will manufacture the lightweight and heavyweight combat uniforms and combat shirts. Base layers, mid-layers, winter clothing and rainwear will continue to be supplied under the original contract.

At the time, Veronica Eng, project manager at the Norwegian Defence Materiel Agency Forsvarsmateriell, said Norway had no plans to switch suppliers as well. Problems such as discolouration of the shirt and trousers tearing would be resolved within the existing project.

Want to know more about the problems with the Nordic Combat Uniform? In this video, I explain why Denmark decided to switch supplier and what went wrong with the original uniform system.

An adjusted Nordic Combat Uniform

Norway has now tested an adjusted version of the military uniform for nine weeks under different conditions. Earlier reports mainly mentioned discolouration and trousers tearing, but it turns out that considerably more changes have been made.

• More room in the trousers – The trousers tore around the crotch because the design simply did not provide enough room. The new version therefore has more space around the crotch.
• New fabric composition – A light-coloured aramid fibre caused the previously reported discolouration. Because this fibre provides important flame-resistant properties, Norway has now tested a new fibre composition.
• Cooler uniform – Soldiers complained that the combat uniform was too warm. The designers have therefore removed internal pockets and moved the ventilation openings from the hips to underneath the arms. Research showed that the combat vest covered the openings around the hips, preventing sufficient ventilation.
• Hood too large – The designers originally made the hood large enough to fit over the Finnish helmet. But Finnish helmets are larger than those worn by Norwegian soldiers, making the hood too large for them. Norway has tested a new version, although no final decision has been made yet.
• Winter camouflage adjusted – Like the combat uniform, the winter clothing also proved too warm. Soldiers quickly overheated and sweated heavily, while they also found the fit too loose. Norway has now switched to a more breathable material and made the fit slimmer.
• Easier repairs – The designers changed the zipper construction to make replacement easier. They will also remove the hood pocket because soldiers did not use it.

 

No additional costs

nterestingly, according to FMA, the Norwegian government agency responsible for procuring and managing the new uniforms, improving a garment does not necessarily mean adding something to it. Removing internal pockets and the unused hood pocket, for example, saves material. Those savings can compensate for higher costs resulting from other improvements.

FMA has not yet announced when production of the adjusted uniform will start. Until then, it will continue to issue the original NCU uniforms. Soldiers who already wear this version will not automatically receive the modified uniform either. According to FMA, sustainability and costs are the reasons behind this decision.

The Nordic Combat Uniform as an example

The idea behind the Nordic Combat Uniform was, of course, a good one: save money, join forces and improve efficiency. It looks great on paper. But anyone with experience in the world of uniforms knows that rolling out a clothing package to a large group of people is already challenging. That applies to large companies, but even more so when people perform physical work and depend on their clothing to support them. Just look at police officers and firefighters.

Organising this within a single country is already difficult, let alone developing one uniform system for four different countries. You can have an enormous amount of expertise, but at this scale, the likelihood of problems simply increases. Four hundred soldiers from the Nordic countries had already tested the uniform system, yet various problems continued to emerge. A hood that is too large for one soldier may fit another perfectly. And now the countries are changing fabrics and fits as well.

Small test group and unisex equipment

Ten soldiers have now tested the new, adjusted model for nine weeks, and only one of them was a woman. FMA considered this sufficient because the testers performed different roles and used the clothing intensively. Much of the clothing system is also unisex. Considering everything that has happened so far, that is quite striking. Why test it on such a small group when an earlier test involving 400 soldiers apparently wasn’t enough to prevent these problems?

And when it comes to unisex clothing, regular readers will already know the potential problems. In many cases, manufacturers design unisex clothing around the male body. As a result, garments can be too loose on women in some areas while being too tight in others. This can reduce protection, restrict movement and ultimately affect someone’s ability to do their job.

You don’t need to be an expert in workwear and uniforms to see examples of this. Canada recently reversed its gender-neutral approach to military uniforms because it did not work properly. And since the start of the war, Ukraine has been working to improve its uniform system for female soldiers. Initially, women there also wore equipment designed for men. Poor fit restricted their movement, which made them less safe. Look at what has happened in other countries and the problem becomes clear.

FMA says it has taken different body shapes into account and offers 30 sizes. But I’m sceptical. I think there is a good chance that some of the gender-neutral garments in the Nordic Combat Uniform will still cause problems. If that happens, I’ll of course keep you updated.

Best,

Aileen