Royal Navy Rig22 / Rig 22
More than a thousand personnel on operations in hot climates now wear the new working uniform – designed to be cooler and more practical in the sweltering conditions they face.
To purchase a Rig 22 Badge, please click on this link and visit Badgeworkshop.com
The rest of the Royal Navy will be issued the uniform – known as Rig22 – by the end of 2023, but improvements will continually be made based on feedback from sailors as part of a ten-year £78m project.
The aim is to supply clothing that can withstand the rigours of life at sea and, at the same time, be more practical and better fitting than the uniform it replaces.
“We understand just how important having the right kit is,” said uniform project leader Georgina Davies.
“We really appreciate the complexities and emotional attachments people have to the uniform and that’s why the uniform improvement project is something I feel very passionately about.
“The team want to deliver the best uniform that we can and the project is the way we hope to achieve this.
“This is a continuously evolving project and we will no longer allow for any part of the uniform to stand still for decades without being reviewed.
“Uniform is not simple and getting it right is challenging and complex. But we are committed, and we will work hard to ensure that the money is spent where it really matters.”
To purchase a Rig 22 Badge, please click on this link and visit Badgeworkshop.com
A further £40m will go on replacing other elements, such as boots and belts, while a new Gore-Tex foul weather jacket and thermal layer will arrive this autumn.
“We have carried out thorough research and testing and this is the best uniform that industry can offer to meet our requirements,” said Warrant Officer 1st Class Lee ‘George’ Reeves.
“This is a major investment in our people. The new uniform is lightweight, more breathable, will fit more people better, and has lots of good features designed specifically for our sailors.”
The new clothing is made from flame-resistant Nomex – also used in the suits of F1 drivers, which allows the body to breathe.
Feedback from more than 7,000 personnel has been incorporated into the final design, with three different fabrics tested extensively by 130 sailors on warships in the Gulf at the height of summer, where temperatures can reach 55ºC.
To purchase a Rig 22 Badge, please click on this link and visit Badgeworkshop.com