Modern camo
The Camo Guide › Modern camo
1991 to today. Computer-made pixels, a “universal” pattern that failed, MultiCam, and the patterns armies wear now, from Canada to Ukraine. Some of these are the patterns you’ll see on the rails today. Here’s what we’ve checked so far, and how sure the sources are.
At a glance
| Year | Pattern | Country | How sure |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Polish wz.93 “Pantera” | Poland | Wikipedia only |
| 1997 | CADPAT | Canada | Official source |
| c. 1998 | Norwegian M/98 | Norway | Official source |
| 2002 | MARPAT | United States | Official source |
| 2002 | MultiCam | United States | Confirmed |
| 2004 | UCP (Universal Camouflage Pattern) | United States | Official source |
| In use 2007 | Finnish M05 | Finland | Official source |
| 2008 – 2014 | Korean digital granite | South Korea | Official source |
| 2009 | US Navy NWU Type I | United States | Single source |
| March 2010 | MTP (Multi-Terrain Pattern) | United Kingdom | Wikipedia only |
| 2014 / 2015 | Ukrainian MM-14 | Ukraine | Confirmed |
| 2019 | Dutch NFP | Netherlands | Official source |
| 2019 | Portugal’s multi-terrain pattern | Portugal | Single source |
| 2022 | Mexican TE-3 | Mexico | Single source |
| 2012 – 2023 | Norway’s new pattern | Norway | Official source |
| 2016 – 2024 | French BME | France | Official source |
| 2025 | Ukrainian MM-25 | Ukraine | Official source |
| Reported 2007 | Chinese Type 07 | China | Official source |
| Current | Serbian M10 | Serbia | Official source |
| Current | Vietnamese K20 | Vietnam | Single source |
1991 - 2009
Pixels and one big mistake
Computers design camouflage, the Marines patent theirs, and the US Army tries one pattern for everywhere.
1993Polish wz.93 “Pantera”
Wikipedia onlyAccording to an article in Defence Science Review and Wikipedia, Pantera was designed for the GROM special forces and adopted army-wide after President Wałęsa wore it, and it first saw combat with UN forces (UNPROFOR) in the former Yugoslavia.
Source: Defence Science Review
1994Testing urban camouflage
Single sourceAccording to an article hosted by the Federation of American Scientists, a 1994 test at Fort Benning found lighter patterns blended best with stucco by day and darker ones indoors and at night, and suggested reversible urban kit.
Source: FAS
1997CADPAT
Official sourceThe Canadian Army says CADPAT is a computer-generated pixel pattern. It was based on surveys of natural backgrounds across Canada from 1988 to 1994, built near-infrared protection into the ink, and was developed by Maj Doug Palmer, CWO Bob Balma and scientist Jean Dumas, with computing from the Danish firm DADCON.
“Probability of detection was reduced by 45 per cent.” As Dumas put it: “From a couple of metres you see the square pixel but when you pull back, then the colour starts to blend.”
Source: Canadian Army
c. 1998Norwegian M/98
Official sourceNorway’s armed forces and its defence research establishment FFI say the colours of the old Norwegian pattern were developed by FFI in the late 1980s, with the M/98 version from about 1998 according to defence media. The army later admitted the old pattern used “litt kunstnerisk frihet”: a bit of artistic licence.
2002MARPAT
Official sourceThe US Marine Corps pattern, developed in 2000–01 by Timothy O’Neill and the Natick team and patented (US Patent 6,805,957), so no other service may use it. The patent describes micro pixels of 1–1.5 mm², tuned by “the artistic interpretation and visual experience of… Marine Corps Scout Snipers”.
The Commandant wanted Marines to have “their own distinctive appearance on the battlefield” (Washington Times). According to Military.com, it cost $319,000 to develop, against the Army’s $3.2m for its own pattern.
On screen: according to IMFDB, Zero Dark Thirty (2012) shows MARPAT on embassy Marines in 2003, before the kit was issued in 2008–09.
Sources: US Patent 6,805,957, Leatherneck, Washington Times, Military.com, IMFDB
2002MultiCam
ConfirmedDesigned by Caleb Crye and Gregg Thompson of Crye Precision for varied environments, seasons, elevations and light, rather than one terrain. Seven colours, non-repeating. It was chosen for Afghanistan in 2010 after tests with about 750 soldiers in photosimulation and 2,000 in the field.
Others followed. Denmark announced its MultiCam-based M/11 in 2011 because troops in Afghanistan crossed many types of terrain. According to Belgian broadcaster VRT, Belgium moved to MultiCam from late 2022 on a €410m, 15-year contract. Argentina’s army presented MultiCam kit in July 2026.
Sources: Wikipedia, US Army, Monocle, Forsvaret (Denmark), VRT, Argentine Government
2004UCP (Universal Camouflage Pattern)
Official sourceOne “universal” pattern for every environment. The US Government Accountability Office reported it failed: troops were “unconcealed in Afghanistan”, and a $38m emergency replacement followed. It was withdrawn in 2019.
Critics were blunt. Slate said it looked “made to blend into a gravel pit”, and Military.com said it “blended in well with grandma’s couch”.
On screen: according to We Are The Mighty, The Hurt Locker (2008) shows it in 2004, before it was in use.
Sources: GAO-12-707, Military.com, Slate, Military.com, We Are The Mighty
In use 2007Finnish M05
Official sourceThe Finnish Defence Forces magazine Ruotuväki says M05 lost its design protection in 2016 because copies were impossible to police.
Source: Ruotuväki
2008 – 2014Korean digital granite
Official sourceSouth Korea’s defence newspaper Kookbang Ilbo says the pattern was based on the fact that 75% of Korea is mountainous and mostly granite, and that it was issued to all active forces by 2014.
Source: Kookbang Ilbo
2009US Navy NWU Type I
Single sourceAccording to Military.com, the joke about the Navy’s blue digital uniform was that it only hid sailors who fell overboard.
Source: Military.com
2010 - today
Afghanistan, Ukraine and beyond
Multi-terrain patterns, national redesigns and camouflage in a war in Europe.
March 2010MTP (Multi-Terrain Pattern)
Wikipedia onlyAccording to its printer, Pincroft, and Wikipedia, MTP was first issued in March 2010. According to Wikipedia, it was designed to cover Afghan desert, woodland, mountain and town in one tour, using MultiCam colours with DPM-like shapes.
2019Dutch NFP
Official sourceThe Dutch Ministry of Defence says NFP was developed by Maarten Hogervorst (TNO) and Hein Jager (Defensie), replaced five patterns, and that the research “kostten bijna 10 jaar” (took almost ten years). Because it is scaled, it works “zowel van veraf als van dichtbij”: both far away and close up. It comes in Green, Tan, Blue and White.
Sources: Defensiekrant, Defensie.nl
2019Portugal’s multi-terrain pattern
Single sourceAccording to the Portuguese newspaper Diário de Notícias, it cost the army “menos de um milhão de euros” (under €1m) to develop.
Source: Diário de Notícias
2022Mexican TE-3
Single sourceAccording to El Financiero, the Mexican Army’s current pattern is officially “TE-3”, designed by the army’s own clothing factories for jungle and desert in one, and first issued to paratroopers in 2022. Navy ship crews wear a blue pixel pattern.
Source: El Financiero
2012 – 2023Norway’s new pattern
Official sourceNorway’s armed forces say the new pattern was developed by FFI researchers Gorm Krogh Selj and Lorns Harald Bakstad, who visited more than 50 places in Norway. “Mønstrene er faktisk generert av en datamaskin”: the patterns were in fact generated by a computer.
The new snow camouflage includes grey, “fordi snø sjelden er helt hvit”: because snow is rarely completely white.
Sources: Forsvaret, Forsvaret (NCU)
2016 – 2024French BME
Official sourceThe French Ministry of the Armed Forces says BME was developed by the army’s technical section, with six colours including a new “brun terre de France”, 1,250 hours of drawing and about 60 digital versions.
Disputed (slightly): one official article says it delays detection by 25%, another by 20%.
Sources: Ministry of the Armed Forces, Armée de Terre, TerreMag
2025Ukrainian MM-25
Official sourceUkraine’s military news service ArmyInform says MM-25 is based on MultiCam, for assault troops, and was chosen because it “має кращі маскувальні властивості” (has better camouflage properties).
Source: ArmyInform
2022Armbands and tape in Ukraine
DisputedAccording to the Atlantic Council’s DFRLab, Ukrainian forces’ yellow armbands are confirmed. Disputed: reports differ on the colour of Russian armbands, red or white.
Source: DFRLab
Current, date not stated
In use now
Patterns in service today whose introduction date our sources don’t give.
Reported 2007Chinese Type 07
Official sourceAccording to a 2007 Xinhua report, the pattern was designed by Zhang Xudong, who described it as “远看像大花，近看像碎石”: from afar like big flowers, up close like gravel.
Source: Xinhua via Sina
CurrentSerbian M10
Official sourceSerbia’s Ministry of Defence lists M10 as the current uniform of the Serbian Armed Forces.
Source: Ministry of Defence (Serbia)
CurrentVietnamese K20
Single sourceAccording to the Vietnamese outlet Kiến Thức, K20 is a scaled-down Woodland pattern. “Rằn ri” is the everyday Vietnamese word for camo.
Source: Kiến Thức
Around the world
More patterns in service, with the archives’ own captions. We are still checking their facts against sources we can link to.
Keep exploring
More from the Camo Guide
Every era in date order, plus the country index and the FAQ. Back to the Camo Guide.
Image credits
Canadian infantryman in CADPAT TW uniform and helmet cover with C9 machine gun, Peru 2010: Cpl. Brian J. Slaght / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
wz. 93 pattern image (swatch): “Kamuflaż wz 93.png” by Magnum045, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Scan of Temperate Woodland CADPAT fabric (swatch): Cplbeaudoin / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Canadian soldier (Canadian flag patch) in arid CADPAT uniform greeting Afghan women, Kandahar 2009: “Female soldier tries to reach out to Afghan women during Eid.jpg” by ISAF Headquarters Public Affairs Office from Kabul, Afghanistan, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Norwegian M/98 camouflage swatch: “M98 camo.jpg” by GTRus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Woodland MARPAT pattern (swatch photo): created by Henrik Clausen, uploaded by Novis-M / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Desert MARPAT pattern swatch: USMC / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
USAF airman holding new MultiCam (OEF-CP) uniforms, F.E. Warren AFB 2015: Airman 1st Class Brandon Valle / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Universal Camouflage Pattern swatch: United States Department of the Army / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
U.S. Army soldier in UCP Army Combat Uniform throwing an M67 grenade, Hawaii 2012: Tech. Sgt. Michael Holzworth / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Finnish m/05 summer (woodland) camouflage pattern: Pekka Vilhunen / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Finnish m/05 snow camouflage pattern: Pekka Vilhunen / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
ROK soldier (left) in ROK Army digital camouflage shaking hands with a U.S. general, 2025: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Cheyenne Mayer / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
NWU Type I blue digital pattern swatch: U.S. Navy / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
U.S. Navy petty officer wearing NWU Type I, 2008: US Navy / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
MTP Virtus combat knee pad worn on MTP trousers, 2015: Photo: Steve Dock/UK Ministry of Defence 2015. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Section of MTP camouflage fabric issued for Afghanistan, 2009: Photo: Amanda Reynolds/MOD. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Posed soldier of 2nd Bn Royal Highland Fusiliers in full MTP combat kit, Afghanistan 2011: Photo: Sgt Rupert Frere RLC/MOD. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
MM-14 pixel pattern image (swatch): “MM14.jpg” by Lucas Cavalcante Mesquita, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Ukrainian soldier in MM-14 running past BTR-80s, Rapid Trident 2015, Yavoriv: Sgt. 1st Class Walter Van Ochten / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Dutch soldiers wearing NFP uniforms, helmets and rucksacks, 2020: Ministerie van Defensie, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Digital image of the Centre-Europe bariolage with official colours: “Bariolage Centre-Europe.png” by Youri BRIAND, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ukrainian soldier in pixel camouflage with yellow tape band on body armour, 2021: 92nd Kish Otaman Ivan Sirko Mechanized Brigade / Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Ukrainian SOF operator with yellow arm tape sitting on a HMMWV with Mk 19, 2022: Special Operations Forces of Ukraine Command, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Type 07 Universal camouflage swatch: “Type 07 universal.jpg” by GTRus, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
PLA soldier in Type 07 digital camouflage at a machine gun, Shenyang 2017: “CJCS meets PRC troop in Shenyang (35768842224).jpg” by Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from Washington D.C, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Russian soldier in EMR carrying a rifle, 2023: Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation (mil.ru), CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Russian Naval Infantry lieutenant colonel in Flora uniform during BALTOPS 2003, Ustka, Poland: Photographer’s Mate 1st Class Chadwick Vann, USN / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
JGSDF members in Type II camouflage demonstrating the Type 01 ATM, Orient Shield 2022: Pfc. Wyatt Moore / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Three Spanish soldiers in pixelated woodland uniforms, Trident Juncture 18, Norway: U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Averi Coppa / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Two Australian soldiers in AMCU on a sniper range, Camp Taji, Iraq 2018: U.S. Army photo by Spc. Javion Siders / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
RSAF 605 Force Protection Squadron dog handler in Singapore pixelated uniform, 2016: “RSAF Force Protection Squadron.jpg” by Alert5, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Brazilian Marines in digital camouflage lined up before an armoured vehicle, Formosa 2020: Alexandre Manfrim / Ministério da Defesa, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
German soldier manning an MG3 atop a vehicle, Mazar-e Sharif, Afghanistan 2011: U.S. Navy photo by MC1 Burt W. Eichen (via isafmedia) / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Close-up of Multitarn camouflage fabric on a sniper’s uniform, Hohenfels 2022: Spc. Alisha Grezlik / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
IDF soldiers of ‘The Red Unit’ in camouflage uniforms, 2020: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
French sniper in a ghillie suit carrying a PGM Hécate rifle, Otterburn, Northumberland 2012: Photo: Bill Jamieson/MOD. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0 Modified (cropped and colour-graded) by Fat Buddha Store.
Scorpion W2 (OCP) pattern swatch, large: US Army / Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Last checked September 2026. Found a mistake or know something we don’t? Tell us in the shop at 81 Queen Street, Glasgow.
