Army begins testing new, improved ghillie suits for snipers (PHOTOS)

By Chris Eger

Key to a military sniper’s success is remaining concealed, which the Army’s new ghillie suit hopes to be better at. (Photos: U.S. Army)
The Army’s proposed next generation of sniper camouflage began its first round of testing in Florida last month.
Termed the Improved Ghillie System, or IGS, contenders for the new lightweight system designed to break up the outline of a sniper’s figure while in a shooting position or stalk was put through several days of visual tests at Eglin Air Force Base in Western Florida by snipers drawn from across the Army. The system is intended to be the service’s first new ghillie suit in a decade, replacing the legacy Flame Resistant Ghillie System first fielded in 2008.
“The current kit is thick and heavy and comes with a lot of pieces that aren’t used,” said Maj. WaiWah Ellison, with the Army’s Program Executive Office Soldier, tasked with the update. “Soldiers are creating ghillie suits with their own materials to match their personal preference. We want to make the IGS simpler and modular so the snipers will use what is issued to them instead of relying on outside resources.”
The current Flame Resistant Ghillie System, shown above, was first fielded in 2008…
…but

Source: Guns.com