Alpha Industries | Heritage Timeline

Alpha Industries Heritage Collection:

For more than sixty years, Alpha Industries has built outerwear that defined both military readiness and cultural style. From cold-weather parkas designed for Air Force crews to the bomber jackets that became streetwear essentials, Alpha’s Heritage Collection represents the foundation of the brand — authentic military designs, reissued for today.

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Six Decades of Iconic Outerwear

THE BEGINNING

In Knoxville, Tennessee, Alpha Industries is awarded its first U.S. Department of Defense contracts to produce Air Force N-3B parkas and Navy shipboard shirts. It’s the fledgling company’s first true test: meeting exacting military specifications while proving itself as a reliable contractor. Those contracts laid the groundwork for Alpha’s reputation for precision, durability, and trust.

THE MA-1 Flight Jacket

As the jet age takes hold, Alpha begins producing the MA-1 under contract. With its water-resistant nylon shell, knit cuffs, and high-visibility orange lining, the MA-1 quickly becomes indispensable for pilots. Outside the cockpit, it evolves into a global style icon — a jacket equally at home in film, music, and fashion.

THE M-65 FIeld Coat

Developed during the Vietnam War, the M-65 introduced a concealed hood, rugged cotton-nylon shell, and a versatile cut. Alpha Industries was the first to produce the jacket, making it a cornerstone of military utility. Beyond its service life, the M-65 became more than just standard-issue — worn by antiwar protestors, immortalized on screen in Taxi Driver, and later embraced by 1990s New York hip-hop. Today, it stands as one of the most recognized field jackets ever made.

THE CWU-36/P & CWU-45/P Flight Jackets

The Department of Defense awards Alpha Industries the contract to produce the CWU-36/P and CWU-45/P flight jackets. Constructed from fire-resistant Nomex fabric and components, these jackets replaced the nylon MA-1 that had served since the 1950s. With oversized pockets and modernized silhouettes, the CWU series ushered in a new era of military flight gear.

THE N-2B Parka

First designed in the 1950s, the N-2B was adopted into Alpha’s production in 1963 under military contract. Built for aircrews exposed to subzero conditions, its cropped length offered cockpit mobility while the split snorkel hood provided maximum protection. From Arctic runways to New York winters, the N-2B evolved from survival gear into an urban staple.

Still True To Heritage

More than six decades after its founding, Alpha Industries continues to make its heritage pieces to spec, staying faithful to their military origins while evolving offerings for new generations. This year marks a milestone: the 60th anniversary of the M-65 Field Coat, a jacket that has shaped culture as much as it has protected soldiers. From battlefield uniform to global style staple, the M-65 embodies Alpha’s enduring legacy — and its ongoing mission to honor the past while designing for the future.

From its earliest military contracts to its enduring civilian presence, Alpha’s Heritage Collection reflects a rare lineage: garments engineered for survival that went on to shape global style. Each piece is rooted in authenticity and designed to endure — proof that true utility never goes out of fashion.

Heritage Still in Motion

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