As the technology of materials and fabrics improved, there was a need for a new jacket that would be fire-retardant. The jacket was made of a nomex fabric that is known for its excellent thermal, chemical, and radiation resistance. Today air force pilots are still issues the CWU 36/P and 45/P. Alpha started producing the jackets for the military in 1995 and went on to make them for more than five years. We made this nylon version of the CWU 45/P for the commercial market in 1998 and introduced a leather version in the late 1990s.