Safety Considerations
Although highly effective, ghillie suits are impractical for many situations where camouflage is useful. They tend to be very heavy and hot. Even in moderate climates, the temperature inside of the ghillie suit can reach over 50 °C (120 °F). The burlap is also flammable, unless treated with fire retardant. The wearer may be exposed to ignition sources such as smoke grenades or white phosphorus.
To enhance safety, the US Army Soldier Systems Center has developed an inherently fire resistant ghillie suit fabric to replace the jute or burlap. This new material does not need to be treated with any additional flame retardant, as the fire resistance is inherent in the product and the fabric will self extinguish. This material was field tested in late 2007 at the Sniper School at Fort Benning and has been standard issue since June 2008.
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