{"id":157,"date":"2025-07-23T11:56:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T11:56:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/bmex\/?p=157"},"modified":"2025-08-14T13:40:03","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:40:03","slug":"types-of-camo-and-their-uses","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/bmex\/types-of-camo-and-their-uses\/","title":{"rendered":"17 Types Of Military Camouflage & Their Uses"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Across deserts, jungles, and other conflict terrains, militaries around the globe have developed a remarkable range of camouflage patterns tailored to their specific environments and missions. However, beyond combat, camouflage has found its way into civilian use; hunters stalking game, airsoft enthusiasts in mock battles, hikers seeking low\u2011profile gear, and even fashion brands such as Tommy Hilfiger adopting camo\u2019s aesthetics for everyday apparel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From classic woodland designs to specialised concealment for urban warfare, we\u2019ll explore the types of camouflage that showcase the art and science of blending into the landscape, featuring examples from the UK, U.S., Canada, and beyond!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17 Types of Military Camouflage Patterns<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are 17 of the most notable military camouflage patterns and designs:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MultiCam<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Multicam
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by U.S. company Crye Precision and adopted by NATO forces in 2002, MultiCam uses a blend of greens, browns, and beiges in a gradient pattern. It\u2019s designed to work across a wide range of environments – from barren deserts to dense woodlands – reducing the need for multiple uniforms. MultiCam is, as of 2025, still the main camouflage used by the U.S. military. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Disruptive
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First fielded by the British Army in the late 1960s (although predominantly in the 1970s), DPM features undulating brown, black, and green shapes on a khaki background. Its high-contrast shapes effectively disrupt outlines in many different terrains, particularly woodlands. The DPM pattern was used throughout several conflicts over the past 50 years, including the Falklands War and the Gulf War. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multi\u2011Terrain Pattern (MTP)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Multi\u2011Terrain
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The British successor to DPM, MTP combines MultiCam\u2019s blended colours with DPM\u2019s disruptive shapes. Introduced in the 2000s, this design offers improved concealment across a variety of landscapes, from desert to urban, under a single uniform. MTP was first used in combat during the war in Afghanistan, initially issued to personnel deployed on Operation Herrick. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

U.S. Woodland<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"U.S.
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Introduced in 1981, this four\u2011colour pattern (green, brown, black, and khaki) became the U.S. military\u2019s standard issue until 2006, and is still used in around \u00bc of all militaries worldwide. Familiar around the globe through army surplus and pop culture, the U.S. Woodland\u2019s large, irregular shapes break up a soldier\u2019s outline in temperate forests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ERDL (Engineer Research and Development Laboratory)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"ERDL
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by the U.S. in 1948, ERDL\u2019s small, tight leaf\u2011like shapes in different greens and browns were initially used for jungle warfare in Vietnam. Its finer patterning provides better concealment at close range in dense foliage, mimicking twigs and branches. The U.S. Woodland design is a direct descendant of ERDL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

CADPAT (Canadian Disruptive Pattern)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"CADPAT
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Canada\u2019s first digital camo, CADPAT uses pixelated micropatterns in green, brown, and black to confuse the eye\u2019s pattern\u2011recognition. Created for Canada\u2019s armed forces in 1996, CADPAT was one of the world\u2019s first \u201cdigital\u201d designs and inspired many successors which involve various forms of pixelated camouflage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MARPAT (Marine Pattern)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"MARPAT
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. Marine Corps\u2019 digital pattern comes in woodland and desert variants, utilising tiny pixels that transition the U.S. Woodland camo colours smoothly. This micro\u2011pattern design enhances concealment at multiple distances and was introduced in 2001, influenced by the CADPAT design. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Universal
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Introduced in 2005 and retired by 2019, UCP was the U.S. Army\u2019s first \u201cone\u2011pattern\u2011fits\u2011all\u201d solution. Inspired by the CADPAT and MARPAT designs, its pixelated grey, tan, and sage green palette proved less effective in many environments, teaching a pivotal lesson about the limits of a single universal print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Operational
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Officially replacing UCP back in 2019 (although first issued in 2015), OCP is nearly identical to MultiCam but with slight colour tweaks to better suit Afghanistan\u2011style terrain. Originally codenamed Scorpion W2, this design retains the gradient transition between colours and multi\u2011scale shapes for broader utility use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flecktarn<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Flecktarn
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Adopted by Germany\u2019s army (the Bundeswehr) in the 1990s, Flecktarn uses a mottled mix of five spots (green, brown, black, and two tans). Its stippled arrangement is particularly efficient in dense forests, scattering light and shadows to break up outlines. The Flecktarn pattern had a similar influence on the European military as that of the U.S. Woodland design, proving to be immensely popular. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Splinter (Splittermuster)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"The
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Splinter pattern (Splittermuster) was developed by the German military in the late 1920s and was used by Nazi Germany\u2019s Wehrmacht units. The design features jagged, polygonal shapes with crisp, sharp edges between colour fields, applied with a random scattering of dashes to improve its concealment. In the 1990s, the Swedish military adopted the M90 Splinter pattern, proving effective in Scandinavian forests. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tiger stripe<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
\"tiger
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"tiger
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Tiger stripe camo originates from the French occupation of Vietnam and is most popular for its use by U.S. troops in the Vietnam War. The design mimics a tiger\u2019s stripes with alternating curved bands of green and black over a brown background. Favoured largely by special forces for jungle operations, it excels at breaking up the human outline in dense undergrowth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A desert variant was also developed and used by the U.S. Special Forces units in Afghanistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duck Hunter (Frog Skin)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"frog
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Originally known as US M1942, the Frog Skin camo was widely used by the U.S. military in the Pacific Theatre during WWII. Production of this type of camo was stopped in 1944 and sold as surplus, mainly to duck hunters, hence the alternative name \u201cDuck Hunter camo\u201d. Though short\u2011lived in service (1940s to the 1960s), it set the stage for future disruptive patterns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chocolate Chip (Desert BDU)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Desert
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Officially known as \u201cDesert Battle Dress Uniform (BDU), this six\u2011colour U.S. desert pattern was primarily used in the Gulf War. Nicknamed \u201cChocolate Chip\u201d for its small black and brown spots over tan and beige, the high-contrast spots aimed to mimic rocky, barren terrains. However, they proved to be less effective at long range. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raindrop (Strichtarn<\/strong>)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Strichtarn
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

First trialled by the German Air Force in World War II, \u201cStrichtarn\u201d (\u201cline camo\u201d) features vertical streaks of green or brown over a grey\u2011green base. The fine \u201crain\u201d lines create a soft blur of motion, useful in mixed woodlands and urban environments. Its most well-known use came during the Cold War, where it was widely adopted by the majority of the Warsaw Pact nations in Central Europe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brushstroke<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"brushstroke
(Image credit – “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Brushstroke uses broad, overlapping strokes of green and brown, edged in black. Initially formulated by the British Ministry of Defence for issue to British Army paratroopers, Brushstroke proved an important transitional pattern for temperate environments, eventually leading to DPM. The camo was often hand-painted onto Denison smocks using non-colourfast dyes, although this quickly changed to a more sophisticated process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dazzle<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"dazzle
(Image credit “Wikimedia Commons<\/a>“)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Unlike concealment patterns, Dazzle was painted on WWI ships and vehicles in bold geometric shapes of contrasting colours. Rather than hiding vessels, it aimed to confuse enemy rangefinders about a ship\u2019s speed and movement. Although 2,000 ships involved Dazzle in WWII, the design was phased out when SONAR became widely used (a technique that uses sound waves to detect and locate objects underwater). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Choose the Right Camo Pattern<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

With so many design variations, it\u2019s important to know which type of camouflage is best for your needs. To help you decide, we\u2019ve broken down the main considerations: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Match the Environment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps the most important consideration, you should choose a pattern that mirrors the dominant colours and textures of your surroundings. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n