RIYADH, 16 February — General, Prince Miteb ibn Abdullah, assistant deputy commander of the National Guard for military affairs, announced the national companies which will be invited to bid for the new uniform of the National Guard. The winning company will have one year to prepare proposals.

Prince Miteb emphasized in a press conference held at his office in Riyadh, that the decision on the new uniform will not require a need for changes in the budget. He denied what has been said lately about the purchase of new weapons for the Guard forces from the United States in a $2 billion pact. He said the imports were confined to light requirements like trucks, and night-vision binoculars which was approved a while back.

He explained that the National Guard is working to obtain helicopters, which has been the idea of Prince Abdullah ibn Abdul Aziz for the past thirty years. He denied that some of these choppers will be allotted for medical evacuation. The prince said the number of helicopters of the Air Defense is sufficient enough and that they are serving all sectors of the government.

The general stated that the new uniform was approved by a royal decree some time ago. The change came to express the desire of the National Guard to distinguish itseld from other military sectors, to present a new appearance, and to match the great development in its military machines and equipment.

The new uniform consists of three major colors: black, gray, and dark gray, instead of the two old colors which has been maintained for over fifty years. The change is in compliance with the directions of Prince Abdullah. The uniform with its three major colors will be used for winter and summer as well. There will be three combinations for the new uniform. The first combination will be a black jacket with golden buttons and rank signs, gray shirt with closed collar, black tie, dark gray pants with stripes on the sides together with the red headgear (Shomakh) and head band (Oqal). This office uniform will be for special occasions. The second office combination will be same as the first one, but with the beret used in other military sectors in black.

The third one, which will be for the field, will be a gray short sleeve shirt with open collar, dark gray pants with stripes on the sides, black belt with a gold fastener having the National Guard emblem in its center.

The material of the new uniform will selected from high quality fabrics.

In his answer to a question, he said that the National Guard needs university graduates in computer and medicial specializations, and there are plans to recruit more secondary schools graduates.

About the interference between the National Guard missions and the armed forces and the security forces he said that we have two duties: "To defend the country and to help the ministry of Interior in guarding some locations like the TV and Broadcasting buildings."

He added that the National Guard is now preparing studies on the best ways to maintain physical fitness of its soldiers.