New Zealand - Revision history

Admin1 at 16:38, 19 September 2025

2025-09-19T16:38:07Z

Admin1: /* New Zealand Camouflage Patterns */

2020-06-06T23:38:42Z

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* New Zealand Camouflage Patterns */

2020-06-06T23:37:49Z

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* New Zealand Camouflage Patterns */

2019-10-15T00:24:01Z

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* New Zealand Camouflage Patterns */

2019-10-10T02:00:34Z

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

Admin1 at 13:53, 26 June 2017

2017-06-26T13:53:53Z

Admin1 at 04:18, 13 August 2016

2016-08-13T04:18:42Z

Admin1: /* Other Patterns worn by New Zealand */

2016-08-13T00:45:31Z

Other Patterns worn by New Zealand

Admin1: /* New Zealand Camouflage Patterns */

2014-10-19T16:31:40Z

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

Admin1: /* New Zealand Camouflage Patterns */

2014-10-16T16:51:53Z

New Zealand Camouflage Patterns

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 [[File:nz14.jpg|200px]]
-* It was announced in 2019 that the armed forces would discontinue the MCU pattern completely by 2023, replacing it with a color variation of the British Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP). The New Zealand Multi-Terrain Pattern (NZMTP) will essentially be a re-coloration of the British pattern, using a color palette more appropriate to the environs of the island nation.
+* It was announced in 2019 that the armed forces would discontinue using the MCU pattern by 2023, replacing it with a color variation of the British Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP). The New Zealand Multi-Terrain Pattern (NZMTP) is essentially a re-coloration of the British pattern, using a color palette more appropriate to the environs of the island nation.
 [[File:nzmtp.jpg|200px]]

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 == New Zealand Camouflage Patterns ==
-* As the standard combat uniform of the New Zealand Army was khaki drill during the Second World War, largely ineffective as camouflage in a jungle environment, the need for a better suited uniform was addressed in 1942. Standard khaki drill uniforms were modified at three different camouflage sections in Aukland, Christchurch, and Wellington, by manually applying a camouflage pattern using spray equipment, producing random dark green, dark brown, and light green shapes. The resulting pattern was a mottled scheme with little recognizable design, but which functioned more effectively than the plain khaki drill. Several thousand of these uniforms were in service by 1943 and saw action with the 3rd Division/2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific. Specifically, the camouflage uniforms were worn by the 8th Brigade in the battle of the Treasury Islands, and by the 14th Brigade in the battle of Vella Lavella - both in the Solomon Islands. When the 3rd Division was disbanded in 1944, no further use was made of these expedient combat suits. Very few have survived into the present and they were never issued again to New Zealand forces.
+* As the standard combat uniform of the New Zealand Army was khaki drill during the Second World War, largely ineffective as camouflage in a jungle environment, the need for a better suited uniform was addressed in 1942. Standard khaki drill uniforms were modified at three different camouflage sections in Aukland, Christchurch, and Wellington, by manually applying a camouflage pattern using spray equipment, producing random dark green, dark brown, and light green shapes. The resulting pattern was a mottled scheme with little recognizable design, but which functioned more effectively than the plain khaki drill in the jungle combat zones of the Pacific theater. Several thousand of these uniforms were in service by 1943 and saw action with the 3rd Division/2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific. Specifically, the camouflage uniforms were worn by the 8th Brigade in the battle of the Treasury Islands, and by the 14th Brigade in the battle of Vella Lavella - both in the Solomon Islands. When the 3rd Division was disbanded in 1944, no further use was made of these expedient combat suits. Very few have survived into the present and they were never issued again to New Zealand forces.
 [[File:nz2.jpg|200px]]

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 == New Zealand Camouflage Patterns ==
-* As the standard combat uniform of the New Zealand Army was khaki drill during the Second World War, largely ineffective as camouflage in a jungle environment, the need for a better suited uniform was addressed in 1942. The standard khaki uniform was modified by applying a camouflage pattern using spray equipment to apply dark green, dark brown and light green paint. The resulting pattern was a mottled scheme with little recognizable design, but functioned more effectively than the plain khaki drill. Several thousand of these uniforms were produced before the war ended, but very few uniforms survived and they were never issued again to New Zealand forces.
+* As the standard combat uniform of the New Zealand Army was khaki drill during the Second World War, largely ineffective as camouflage in a jungle environment, the need for a better suited uniform was addressed in 1942. Standard khaki drill uniforms were modified at three different camouflage sections in Aukland, Christchurch, and Wellington, by manually applying a camouflage pattern using spray equipment, producing random dark green, dark brown, and light green shapes. The resulting pattern was a mottled scheme with little recognizable design, but which functioned more effectively than the plain khaki drill. Several thousand of these uniforms were in service by 1943 and saw action with the 3rd Division/2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Pacific. Specifically, the camouflage uniforms were worn by the 8th Brigade in the battle of the Treasury Islands, and by the 14th Brigade in the battle of Vella Lavella - both in the Solomon Islands. When the 3rd Division was disbanded in 1944, no further use was made of these expedient combat suits. Very few have survived into the present and they were never issued again to New Zealand forces.
 [[File:nz2.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:nz6.jpg|200px]]
-* Beginning in 1996, a 6th and final series of [[DPM]] pattern camouflage was introduced for the New Zealand Defence Force. Often called "golden DPM," the design features black, dark brown & golden-yellow disruptive shapes on a grass green base. The initial production run of uniforms consisted of tropical shirt, combat trousers, bush hat and boonie hat (with wider brim). Some of the uniform details changed in 1999 and a ventile smock was added (below, right) to the ensemble, but essentially the [[DPM]] pattern has remained unchanged until today.
+* Beginning in 1996, a 6th and final series of [[DPM]] pattern camouflage was introduced for the New Zealand Defence Force. The design features black, dark brown & distinctive golden-yellow disruptive shapes on a grass green base. The initial production run of uniforms consisted of tropical shirt, combat trousers, bush hat and boonie hat (with wider brim). Some of the uniform details changed in 1999 and a ventile smock was added (below, right) to the ensemble, but essentially the [[DPM]] pattern has remained unchanged until today.
 [[File:nz8.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:nz13.jpg|200px]]
 [[File:nz14.jpg|200px]]
 == Other Patterns worn by New Zealand ==

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 [[File:nz9.jpg|200px]]
-* The NZDF is currently (mid-2012) in the process of finalizing adoption of a new, [[digital patterns|pixelated]] camouflage design that will be a huge departure from the [[DPM]]-based designs employed up to this point. This Multi-Terrain Camouflage pattern, designed to perform under a variety of geographical conditions, is likely to have been heavily influenced by the use of [[Multicam]] by the NZ Special Air Service in various theaters of operation. Scheduled for implementation by 2013, the pattern will ultimately replace the standard DPM.
+* Initially released for testing in 2011, a new, [[digital patterns|pixelated]] camouflage design was adopted by the NDDF in 2013. This marked a huge departure from the [[DPM]]-based designs employed up to that point. This Multi-Terrain Camouflage Uniform pattern (MCU), designed to perform under a variety of geographical conditions, is likely to have been heavily influenced by the use of [[Multicam]] by the NZ Special Air Service in various theaters of operation. The original pattern incorporated a fairly dark color scheme that was criticized by operational personnel. Subsequently, the NDDF adjusted the colors to a lighter scheme, as well as an alternative version for the Flame Resistant (FR) smock. This pattern was designed by Hyperstealth Biotechnology Industries.
 [[File:nz12.jpg|200px]]
 == Other Patterns worn by New Zealand ==

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−	* South Vietnamese produced "[[tiger stripe]]" camouflage uniforms were also popular with the NZ SAS during their time in Southeast Asia. As with their American and Australian counterparts, there was no particular pattern associated with the SAS, and they wore whatever variants could be obtained at the time.
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	* Members of the NZ SAS operating in Afghanistan (ISAF) have been documented as wearing the commercially available Multicam pattern made in the [[USA]] under license by Crye Precision.		* Members of the NZ SAS operating in Afghanistan (ISAF) have been documented as wearing the commercially available Multicam pattern made in the [[USA]] under license by Crye Precision.

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 == Other Patterns worn by New Zealand ==
-* NZ Special Air Service (SAS) units operating in South Vietnam were fond of the lightweight jungle uniforms worn by reconnaissance units of the US Army. The M1948 ERDL camouflage pattern became extremely popular with these units, who obtained them whenever possible and wore them in lieu of the standard jungle green uniform issued by the NZ Army.
+* NZ Special Air Service (NZSAS) units operating in South Vietnam were issued the same lightweight jungle camouflage uniforms worn by reconnaissance units of the US Army. The M1948 [[leaf|ERDL camouflage]] pattern became the standard uniform of NZSAS units from 1968 onwards, and was worn in lieu of the standard jungle green (JG) uniform issued by the NZ Army at that time.
 [[File:usa2.jpg|200px]]

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 [[File:nz2.jpg|200px]]
-* In the 1980s, a waterproofed nylon A-shaped pup tent and shelter half (aka "hootchie" or ''basha'') was issued to New Zealand Defence Force personnel, painted in a unique blotch/brushstroke combination pattern. Having large blots of dark green and olive green plus russet brushstrokes on a lime green background, the pattern also appeared on nylon gloves. These gradually fell into disuse and were replaced by [[DPM]] versions.
+* Circa 1979-80, a waterproofed nylon A-shaped pup tent and shelter half (aka "hootchie" or ''basha'') was issued to New Zealand Defence Force personnel, painted in a unique blotch/brushstroke combination pattern. Having large blots of dark green and olive green plus russet brushstrokes on a lime green background, the pattern also appeared on nylon gloves. These gradually fell into disuse and were replaced by [[DPM]] versions.
 [[File:nz1.jpg|200px]]