The Australian Defence Force (ADF) has rejected claims troops have been issued with defective combat clothing and equipment that expose them to unnecessary risks.

The allegations in The Sydney Morning Herald concern the acquisition process within Defence, also claiming the Army has not dealt with soldiers' concerns.

The newspaper report said infantry soldiers say they cannot fit ammunition magazines into the pouches designed to carry them and there were problems with faulty buckles and quick-release mechanisms on body armour.

Defence, in responding to the report, said all personnel, including combat troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, were issued with "safe, fit-for-purpose and high-quality" clothing and equipment.

"I want to reassure our soldiers, their families and the Australian public, that the inferences in this article are not accurate," Chief of Army Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie said.

"Indeed in nearly a decade of warfighting our training and our equipment have protected our people and saved many lives.

General Gillespie and Defence Materiel Organisation chief executive Dr Stephen Gumley also say claims that hundreds of complaints by soldiers about their gear have not been acted on by the Defence bureaucracy are unfounded.

"All soldiers have the ability to report on their equipment, and from January 2007 there have been 59 reports on defective or unsatisfactory materiel (RODUMs) on personal combat equipment, including load carriage equipment, body armour and boots from the Middle East area of operations," Dr Gumley said.

"Contrary to today's article, all of these have been acted upon."

Defence was trialling a lighter protective armour ballistic plate, as recommended by a specially convened Army battle-worthiness board.

"[This] shows Defence is both responsive to and treats seriously issues raised by our deployed soldiers," General Gillespie said.

Dr Gumley said the provision of safe and effective equipment and clothing was the highest priority and soldiers were able to raise equipment concerns through a well-established reporting process.

"Where issues are identified they are acted upon swiftly," he said.

- ABC/AAP