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![British Army khaki]()
The British Army adopted khaki in India in the 1850s and by the end of the 19th century the "dust" colored uniforms had replaced the traditional "red coats" in the field. This Grenadier Guards uniform dates from the Boer War and is in the Guards Museum in London. (Photo: Peter Suciu)![‘Turtle shell’ World War I camouflage]()
A German Model 1916 steel helmet that has been painted with four-color "turtle shell" camouflage pattern. This was done to break up the lines of the soldiers in the trenches in France and Belgium. (Photo: Peter Suciu)![British Army World War II camouflage]()
The British Army developed its own camouflage patterns during the World War II and these were widely used by paratroopers. This Denison smock was the coverall jacket issued to paratroopers who took part in Operation Market Garden in September 1944, and is in the collection of the Airborne Museum "Hartenstein." (Photo: Peter Suciu)![Evolution of American camouflage]()
The evolution of American camouflage in three M1 steel helmet covers from left to right: a World War II U.S. Marine Corps jungle pattern known by the soldiers as the "frogskin" pattern; the Mitchell or "clouds" pattern, which consists of overlapping dark brown, russet, beige, light brown & ochre "cloud" shapes on a tan background – it was widely used in Vietnam; and ERDL camouflage pattern, which was designed by U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Laboratory (ERDL). (Photo: Peter Suciu)![Desert Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform]()
Two very different camouflage pattern helmet covers that were used by the U.S. military in Iraq. The Desert Battle Dress Uniform (DBDU) was the American arid-environment camo pattern that was developed in the 1980s and used during the Gulf War in 1991. It features six colors but was widely known as the "Chocolate-Chip Camouflage" as it resembled chocolate-chip cookie dough. It was replaced by the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) that was used during Operation Iraqi Freedom. The DCU features a three-color desert pattern that was created primarily for lower, more open and less rocky desert terrain. Desert soil samples from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait were considered in the DCU's development. (Photo: Peter Suciu)![Woodland camouflage]()
U.S. Air Force Security Forces airmen train at Fort Huachuca, Arizona in October 2004, wearing BDUs in woodland camouflage. (Photo: U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Justin D. Pyle)![Desert Camouflage Uniform]()
Then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard B. Myers thanks the crew of USS Theodore Roosevelt wearing the Desert Camouflage Uniform (DCU) that was used during Operation Iraqi Freedom. (U.S. Navy Photo by Chief Photographer’s Mate Eric A. Clement)![Multi-Terrain Pattern]()
Royal Marines of Bravo Company, 40 Commando, wearing the British military's Multi-Terrain Pattern camouflage, which was introduced in 2011 (Photo: Ministry of Defence)![Canadian Disruptive Pattern]()
The current issue Canadian Disruptive Pattern (CADPT), a computer-generated digital camouflage pattern that was designed to reduce the likelihood of detection by night vision devices. It was designed and tested in the 1990s and introduced for use by the Canadian Forces in 2002. This example is at the Royal Canadian Regiment Museum in London, Ontario. (Photo: Peter Suciu)![Universal Camouflage Pattern]()
U.S. Army Soldiers begin the ruck march portion of the U.S. Army Europe Soldier and NCO of the Year Competition Aug.15, 2007, at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany. These soldiers wear the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) that is now being replaced by the Scorpion W2 camouflage pattern. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Joshua Ballenger)![Scorpion W2]()
The new Scorpion W2 – or Operational Camouflage Pattern – was introduced earlier this year as the U.S. Army's main camouflage pattern and will completely replace the UCP by 2018. (U.S. Army Photo)History of camouflage in pictures
Camouflage has undergone a massive evolution since it was first used by the British Army in the mid nineteenth century. These images track the development of camouflage technology through to the present day.
Move Forward
- History of camouflage in pictures
