Based principally on the conclusions and recommendations of A Study to Reduce the Load of the Infantry Combat Soldier, 1962, and A Study to Conserve the Energy of the Combat Infantryman, 1964, a Quantitative Materiel Requirement (QMR), was established in 1965 calling for the development of Lightweight Individual Clothing and Equipment (LINCLOE).

Although the development of the LINCLOE load-carrying equipment (LCE) was not officially started until after approval of the task by the Army Materiel Command Technical Committee (AMCTC) on 27 April 1966, development of LCE really began in 1961 with the development of a lightweight rucksack made of nylon fabrics and an aluminum frame which weighed 3 pounds (1.4 kg) as compared to the 7.5 pound (3.4 kg) cotton and steel item which it replaced.

The development of this lightweight rucksack led to an informal inquiry by officers of the infantry community as to the possibility of reducing the weight of the M-1956 cotton equipment (belt, suspenders, canteen cover, first aid/compass case, intrenching tool carrier, ammunition cases, and combat pack). As a result of this interest, a set of this equipment was made in 1962, substituting available nylon materials for the cotton. This set of nylon equipment weighed slightly more than 3 pounds (1.4 kg) as opposed to 5 pounds (2.3 kg) for the cotton items. These two items, the lightweight rucksack and the set of nylon M-1956 equipment, formed the basis for that portion of the LINCLOE QMR dealing with LCE. Annex A to the QMR set a goal of 3.3 pounds (1.5 kg) for the individual LCE and 3 pounds (1.4 kg) for the rucksack. It was decided that the design of the new equipment would follow basically that of the standard equipment with material changes from cotton to nylon and replacement of the brass and steel hardware with aluminum or plastic items.

After years of requirement changes, prototype failures and with continuous close cooperation between the user and the developer the LINCLOE LCE was adopted as Standard A, 17 January 1973, with M-1972 designation and the task was terminated. The designation was changed after its adoption to All-Purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment (ALICE).

References

• Metzger, Eldon C. (July 1975). History of the Development of the LINCLOE Loadcarrying Equipment. Natick, MA: United States Army Natick Development Center. [pdf]
• Kennedy, Stepehen; Goldman, Ralph; Slauta, John. (May 1973). The Carrying of Loads within an Infantry Company. Natick,MA: Clothing and Personal Life Support Equipment Laboratory, US Army Natick Laboratories. [pdf]
• Army Logistician. Sept-Oct 1973: [HathiTrust]
• Army Research and Development. Nov-Dec 1973: [HathiTrust]
• Infantry. Sept-Oct 1974: [HathiTrust]