INTERNATIONAL CAMOUFLAGE PATTERN INDEX
by Eric H. Larson
Welcome to the International Camouflage Pattern Index. This Index has been created as a database and general reference for all major military camouflage patterns and combat uniforms in use during the 20th and 21st centuries by military, paramilitary, and in some cases non-military forces. The Index is privately owned and maintained, and all information contained herein has been copyrighted. Data may be used for reference purposes only. Please do not copy, paraphrase, or borrow from it without first seeking permission from the author.
FORMAT:
This site is presently organized in a simple, columnar spreadsheet format. Data is organized in seven categories, arranged alphabetically by country.
Pattern Name: Whenever possible, I have chosen to provide official names to any pattern suitably referenced by military nomenclature, official publications, or in common parlance by military personnel. Where official names do not exist, appropriate terms are used or were created to describe the pattern as logically and accurately as possible.
Other Names: Terms listed in this field include English translations (when official names are in a language other than English), alternative names, user nicknames (those terms coined by personnel who actually utilize the pattern), and collector or hobbyist names (terms created or used by military historians, collectors and hobbyists).
Uniform Type(s): When known, the style of uniforms worn in a particular country is named using standardized terminology that should be familiar to most students of military combat uniforms. Multiple uniform styles are also listed, as are other non-uniform accessories such as shelter pieces, vehicle covers, and field equipment.
Uses: This field details the specific usage of the particular camouflage pattern, either generally, or by specific military, paramilitary, or insurgent forces within a country..
Description: This field provides a brief, non-visual description of the camouflage pattern referenced using standardized terminology. In cases where a pattern is either obtained or precisely copied from that of an original source, a general description will be replaced by the simple format “standard X pattern” (e.g. “standard US m81 woodland pattern”).
Notes: This field contains historical information, data on where the pattern or uniforms are sourced or manufactured, and other details that cannot be fitted into any other category.
Years of Use: provides a general timeline during which a specific country used the pattern.
SOURCES:
Unlike a great majority of references on this subject, the data compiled in this Index has been researched and documented as thoroughly as possible in order to provide the most accurate referencing available. As this database is a living document, there remain many gaps and multiple errors in need of mending; however, no listings have been created strictly on the bases of rumor, hearsay, military forum gossip, or what passes for historical documentation in some circles. The primary sources for the information presented here include: data from official publications or nomenclature, photographs, physical specimens (with provenance, if possible), published material, and occasionally unpublished material from academic or military sources.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:
Although the Index has been compiled solely by the author, I would be completely remiss if I failed to acknowledge the hard work and research of numerous other individuals who have contributed to this subject over the years. For their published material, I am ever thankful to the following individuals: Peter Abbott (UK), Tamás Baczoni (Hungary), the late Michael D. Beaver (USA), Hardy Blechman (UK), the late Dr. Jean Borsarello (France), Kenneth Bowra (USA), Kenneth Conboy (USA), Dennis Desmond (USA), Jeff Fannell (South Africa/USA), Helmoed-Römer Heitman (South Africa), Richard D. Johnson (USA), Samuel M. Katz, John Laffin (UK), Krunoslav Mikulan (Croatia), Werner Palinckx (Belgium), the late Robert Pitta (USA), Manuel Ribeiro Rodrigues (Portugal), Lee E. Russell, Dr. Nigel Thomas (UK), and Martin Windrow (UK).
I must also very gratefully acknowledge the help and assistance of the following individuals, who have not only generously shared their own research and observations with me directly, but have also provided many useful insights into the subject of military camouflage and combat uniforms in their respective areas of expertise: Andreas Arphan (Malaysia), Major Tamás Baczoni (Hungary), Major Mark Campbell (Canada), Cyrille Chazal (France), Henrik Clausen (Denmark), Philip Co (Philippines), Michael Coleman (USA), Kenneth Conboy (Indonesia), Brendan Conroy (Ireland), George Cox (USA), Guy Cramer (USA), Dion Desembriarto (Indonesia), Martin Dziminski (Australia), Richard Fu (China), Roan Gouws (New Zealand), Lawrence Holsworth (USA/UK), Erich Huang (Taiwan), Alex Iide (Brazil), Leo Karlin (USA), Marko Kocoljevac (Serbia), Danilo Matz (Brazil/USA), Sean McElwain (Ireland), Jorge Panuncio (Uruguay), Ben Playford (Australia), the late Mike Powlen (USA), Arch Rigsby (USA), Fernando Rios (Argentina), Riaan Rossouw (South Africa), Bill Rumbauch (USA), Colin Shackel (UK), Amin Shakeri (Iran), Erick Shirley (USA), Chris Smith (USA), Gani Sunglao (Philippines), Philip Thum (Austria), Brad Turner (Australia), Jan Van der Steen (Netherlands), Alex Van Riezen (Netherlands), Albert Van Zyl (South Africa) and Ufuk Yilmaz (Turkey). Without the arduous work and generous assistance of these individuals, compilation of this Index would not have been possible. To anyone that I have overlooked or forgotten, I offer my heartiest and most sincere apologies (and if you will be so kind as to remind me, I will gladly add your name to the list).
The Camouflage Uniform Index is sponsored by the International Camouflage Uniform Society (ICUS). The Society is an association of collectors, researchers, curators, and historians with a mutual interest in the study of international military camouflage patterns and combat uniforms. Our Society was created in the year 2000 and maintains the largest database of research material on camouflage patterns and uniforms in the world, with a growing international membership from all continents. ICUS functions as a venue for research, a reference for collectors and historians, and an exchange network for purposes of trading, buying, and selling of uniforms and accoutrements.