Bulgaria

Bulgarian units employed a variation of the German Wehrmacht splittertarn (splinter) pattern during or immediately following the Second World War. This in turn led to adoption of a number of variations of the pattern over the next 55 years, which ultimately became the standard uniform of the Bulgarian soldier. With the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and the Soviet Union, Bulgaria rapidly became interested in shedding her ties to the old regimes and adopted several camouflage patterns based on the British DPM modelub the early part of the 21st century. These remain in regular service today.

Bulgarian Camouflage Patterns

• The earliest Bulgarian camouflage pattern was a splinter pattern highly derivative of the Splittermuster pattern of the German Wehrmacht. The pattern is thought to have been used during WW2 or shortly thereafter, as some details of the uniform and the high-quality printing suggest that it was pre-Communist era. The pattern features green and brown or russet geometric splinter shapes on a khaki background. A variation of the pattern utilizing different screens is known to have emerged between 1951 and 1952.

• A more faithful, but much less-defined version of the wartime German Splittermuster (splinter)pattern was introduced in 1953. The design incorporated crudely printed green and brown splinter shapes on a light olive green field with wavy rain straits. This pattern was worn as a coverall by Bulgarian airborne troops.

• In 1963 another Bulgarian variation of the splinter pattern emerged. Produced until 1968, this variation was essentially the same but the edges of the splinter patches were much more well-defined than those of the 1953 pattern. This design may have only seen service with Bulgarian Airborne officers.

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• A different camouflage pattern emerged in 1968, known by the Bulgarians as Zhabezhka kozha (frogskin) pattern. The design, featuring bright green spots & blotches, and brown rain straits on a grey background, was printed on the same style coveralls for issue to airborne personnel and chemical troops (possibly to confuse NATO forces). The coveralls were later issued to Border Patrols or Federal Border Guards (sources conflict as to which is correct).

• In 1979 yet another version of the Bulgarian splinter design emerged, now featuring more densely-aligned dark green and dark brown splinter shapes on a grey-green field with wavy rain straits. Summer and winter issue uniforms were now being produced, although issue was still limited primarily to airborne, intelligence, and special forces personnel. The pattern was also exported to Afghanistan in the 1980s

• Common among most Warsaw Pact nations at one time or another, Bulgaria also adopted a "rain drop" pattern at one point. The design, quite similar to that adopted by East Germany, was again only printed on coveralls and apparently only received limited issue.

• The fifth and last version of the Bulgarian splinter pattern was introduced around 1991. This version, dark green and dark brown splinter shapes on an olive green background with slightly thinner rain straits, saw universal distribution within the Bulgarian Armed Forces and remained in service until around 2002. A wide variety of uniform styles and field equipment were produced in this pattern.

• At some point in the 1990s, Bulgarian military advisors were issued an interesting lizard camouflage pattern uniform. Featuring green and brown horizontal stripes on a sandy background, the design was probably intended to blend into desert or semi-arid regions such as those in Africa or the Middle East where these advisors were serving.

• Another Bulgarian lizard camouflage design to emerge during this time period (circa 1999) was a green tiger stripe pattern. It is unknown if the pattern was simply a trial design, but some sources suggest it was worn by Bulgarian special forces for a short time. The pattern has brown & dark green horizontal stripes on olive green background.

• Introduced when Bulgaria became member of NATO in 2003, the five-color Disruptive Pattern Material or DPM is the current issue camouflage pattern of the Bulgarian Armed Forces. The design features black, russet, medium olive & light olive green disruptive shapes on pale green or khaki background.

• A three-color Disruptive Pattern desert variation was also issued at the same time. Employing russet & khaki disruptive shapes on a sandy background, the pattern has been worn by Bulgarian troops deployed to Iraq and on other missions with the United Nations.

• Bulgarian four colour urban disruptive pattern. Used by Bulgarian Air Force and Gendarmerie serving in ISAF (Afghanistan). In use since 2004.

Other Camouflage Patterns worn by Bulgaria

• Bulgarian Rangers deployed to Afghanistan (2009) have been photographed wearing US style 3 colour desert uniforms.

Comparison Photos

• Comparision of the early splinter pattern with the 1953 pattern. The 1953 pattern is only a subset of the early splinter pattern. The area outlined in red is repeated on the 1953 pattern.