Ministry of Defence and Zemliachky NGO launch project to improve combat gear for women
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine and the Zemliachky NGO signed a memorandum of cooperation to improve military uniforms for women and test an individual gear set called the Female Combat Gear Kit.
Tens of thousands of women serve in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, including in combat units. To date, the summer field uniform remains the only approved uniform for female service members: cold-weather and demi-season versions for women have not been developed, so some female service members have to find the gear and clothing they need on their own after completing Basic General Military Training (BGMT).
According to Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine Mstyslav Banik, the Ministry recognizes that equal responsibilities must be matched by equal provision from the state.
We will make decisions on upgrading women’s uniform sets, replacing individual items, and other changes only after testing and receiving feedback directly from female service members. This will allow us to make decisions based on data rather than assumptions — which is exactly what we are striving for as we reform the military supply system.
For decisions to be as precise as possible, they must be based on evidence-based policy, including research and the study of practical experience, he added.
What the memorandum with the Zemliachky NGO covers
The cooperation covers two areas. The first is refining the summer and winter military uniform sets for women to account for anthropometric and functional requirements, including fit, freedom of movement, compatibility with gear, and seasonality.
The first prototype of the winter uniform was produced using patterns developed by the Zemliachky NGO, with further work underway to improve its quality. Decisions on any changes will be made after testing and receiving feedback directly from female service members.
The second area involves the Female Combat Gear Kit, a pilot research project.
How the Female Combat Gear Kit pilot will work
After completing Basic General Military Training (BGMT) and taking up a combat position, 1,000 female service members will receive a full kit of combat gear. The kit includes:
- two pairs of combat boots (winter and demi-season);
- a 5-in-1 demi-season uniform and a winter set (jacket and insulated pants);
- thermal underwear, T-shirts, and socks;
- a helmet, body armor with lightweight armor plates and an anatomically designed plate carrier;
- an individual first aid kit (IFAK) with four tourniquets;
- a tactical backpack, tactical hearing protectors, a rain poncho, a sleeping bag, a sleeping mat, and tactical gloves;
- a transport case for field use.
Over 12 months, the Zemliachky NGO, with support from the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, will track each item's actual service life, replacement needs, instances when participants purchase additional gear on their own, issues with sizing and comfort, and the cost-effectiveness of the centralized provision model.
The Ministry of Defence approves participant selection criteria and enables the Zemliachky NGO to work directly with service members, while the NGO is responsible for social support for each participant, procurement, and logistics.
For four years, we have been developing solutions informed by the real-world experience of women defenders. Today, this work is becoming part of the state system — and that is the greatest value of this cooperation for us.
Similar models have already been implemented by the U.S. Army (the Modular Scalable Vest, based on the ANSUR II study) and the British Army (the Virtus Scalable Tactical Vest, available to personnel since April 2022).
Based on the results of the pilot project, the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine will consider adding the optimized kit configuration to clothing and equipment issue lists and provision standards for female service members in combat positions.
The Ministry of Defence of Ukraine previously explained in detail what the women’s modular body armor set includes and how it differs from the men’s version.