Development of a Performance-Based Specification Model of Combat Clothing for the Procurement Process in Estonia

Abstract

The topic of the research article is the development of an evaluation method of an ergonomic-based test battery to evaluate the ease of use, cutting solution and materials of the combat clothing uniform of defence forces, which can be added to the procurement sample evaluation system. Evaluation of the ergonomics of the new combat clothing uniform was performed using military recruits who completed a Military Pentathlon test battery in outdoor conditions with eight different obstacles. The comfort and fit of the tested clothes were evaluated using observation and questionnaire. This process was carried out using 47 military personnel of the Estonia Defence Force battalions. Each soldier was measured manually with a tape measure to clarify clothing size and to characterize the test population. From the measurement results, test persons 14, whose measurements corresponded to the size number and height of the two sample combat clothing, were selected. With selected 14 test persons was performed testing of combat clothing outside, which were carried out on the test battery of ergonomic. Their performance evaluated by two external observers with relevant education. After completing the test battery, both, test subjects and observers individually filled the closed-ended questionnaire with a 3-point attitude scale with emoticons about the ergonomic aspects of the combat clothing. The analysis of the answers to the questionnaire showed that the opinions of both the subjects and the observers agreed. Among the 14 subjects, 11 were conscripts. This shows that if a corresponding test track has been prepared for testing the ergonomics of clothing, then giving an assessment to the clothing is understandable to the respondent. The method also facilitates the verification of clothing criteria as performance-based procurement assessment. Not a separate test battery was prepared during this study. This helps to save costs, as it does not require the construction of a specific test battery and is available to many military recruits.