Military Developing 'Tactical Brassiere'

The U.S. military is currently testing a new bra for female soldiers that is "tactical rather than a sportswear item," developed by the Army's Combat Capabilities Development Command Soldier Center.

The Army Tactical Brassiere is designed to be integrated into currently existing body armor in order to provide greater protection, according to Army Times, and comes as part of an overall move by the military to increase the uniform options for different body types.

"If the AUB [Army Uniform Board] makes it a program of record, we would want to promote that as a [Soldier Center] accomplishment and win for female Soldiers across the Army," Soldier Center public affairs officer Jeff Sisto told Army Times in a statement.

"The overall goal is to produce garments that not only protect the user, but reduce the cognitive burden on the female Soldier caused by discomfort and ill fit," Ashley Cushon, a clothing designer and the leader of the project, said in a statement. "Achieving this will improve the Soldier's overall readiness and performance levels, allowing them to focus on their mission."

She added, "Developing well-fitting patterns is a skill that exists at the crossroads of technical art and science. It requires understanding body shape, growth points and the relationship between 2-D elements and 3-D objects."

Cushon added: "Understanding that sports brassieres incorporate various structural elements as they increase or decrease in sizing, final results from the studies will inform [the Program Executive Office for] Soldier and ultimately the Army Uniform Board, so that a determination can be made on the Army's path forward for best equipping female Soldiers for their missions."

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