Vietnam

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Today the country is officially known as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam), although it was once considered a part of French Indochina. When the Japanese occupation during the Second World War ended, the Việt Minh (who had fought the Japanese during the war) strongly opposed French re-occupation of Vietnam, which rapidly brought about the First Indochina War (1946 to 1954). Ten years later, the Geneva Accords of 1954 effectively ended the war by establishing Indochina's independence from France, and established two nations out of the territory traditionally considered Vietnamese, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the north, and the State of Vietnam in the south. Within a year, the South Vietnam was established after Ngô Đình Diệm deposed Emperor Bảo Đại. His refusal to enter negotiations with North Vietnam over holding nationwide elections led to gradual disintegration of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and instigated the Second Indochina War (1959 to 1975). Vietnam was reunited in 1975 when the US and its allies withdrew all forces from South Vietnam, which was rapidly overrun by North Vietnamese troops shortly thereafter. The unified country was officially re-named the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, which it has remained to this day.

Vietnam overthrew the Khmer Rouge regime of Cambodia in 1978, leading to tense relations with China and ultimately sparking the brief Sino-Vietnamese war between February and March 1979. Vietnamese troops remained in Cambodia until 1989.

The Vietnamese armed forces have their roots in the Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, (Vietnam People's Army) the armed wing of the Việt Minh that was formalized by President Ho Chi Minh in 1954. During the Vietnam War, the armed forces were often referred to as the Quân đội Bắc Việt (North Vietnamese Army), primarily by the US government and the Republic of Vietnam, although internally they were still the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN).

In the modern era, the armed forces of Vietnam are still officially Quân Đội Nhân Dân Việt Nam, although in English this is now usually translated as "Vietnam People's Army" (VPA). The VPA consists of various Ground Defense Forces, Border Defense Forces, the Vietnam People's Navy, Vietnam Coast Guard, the Vietnam People's Air Force and Air Defense Force, the Artillery & Missile Command, and the Cyberspace Operations Command. The principal domestic police force is called People's Public Security of Vietnam (Công an Nhân dân Việt Nam) (CAND), or the People's Public Security Forces (Lực lượng Công an Nhân dân) which maintains public security and law enforcement. Within the CAND, the Cảnh sát Cơ động (CSCĐ) or Mobile Police Command are gendarmerie-type, direct-action personnel with a paramilitary role.

Since the days of the Second Indochina War, Vietnamese forces have used a large number of camouflage patterns, most of which are produced locally. Some units have even worn VPA style uniforms made from surplus fabric leftover from the Republic of Vietnam era.

North Vietnamese Army Camouflage Patterns

• The standard operational uniform of the NVA was olive green, but sabotage units known as đặc công were issued with a special leaf-type camouflage pattern during the Vietnam War. At least two color variants are known. The pattern would later emerge under the VPA in a number of different colorations.

Vietnamese People's Armed Forces Camouflage Patterns

• Following the end of the Vietnam War, some original camouflage fabric leftover from Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) stocks was put to use by both the Vietnamese People's Army (VPA) and the Mobile Police Command units (CSCĐ) of the People's Public Security Forces. In particular, surplus ERDL fabric originally worn by the ARVN Ranger (BDQ) units is known to have been worn by members of the đặc công Special Forces, and some CSCĐ personnel during the Cambodian-Vietnamese War (1978-89). While the uniforms were tailored in typical VPA style, surviving examples show the fabric weight and colors perfectly match that produced during the war. Some of these uniforms were still being sold or worn into the 1990s.

• Use of surplus ARVN Tiger stripe pattern camouflage fabric was also known to occur following the end of the Vietnam War, often by Binh chủng Đặc công (Special Forces) or Mobile Police Command units, but in some cases by regular ground forces. As late as 1992 at least one unit wore such uniforms for a parade and martial arts demonstration near the military museum in Hanoi.

• The Vietnamese Special Forces or đặc công and airborne forces were issued spot camouflage patterns produced in China in the late 1980s. Although a wider variety of camouflage was available from the 1990s onwards, use of this pattern by đặc công units continues. The green-based pattern seen here is believed to be the oldest version of this camouflage.

• Another spot pattern camouflage design worn by đặc công (VPA commandos) is seen here. Although similar to the above pattern, this one uses an entirely different set of drawings for the screens. This design seems to be of more recent vintage, and remained in use with VPA special units until around 2020.

• A variation of the above with a blue colorway has been worn by personnel of the Vietnamese Navy (Hải quân Nhân dân Việt Nam), including special forces (đặc công hải quân or đặc công nước) and security personnel. This design was still in use as recently as 2019 by some Navy units.

• Introduced at some point during the 1990s (possibly after 1994), the series of green leaf camouflage patterns was collectively known as quân đội (Army). Several color variations are documented, and have been in service with the VPA well into the late 1990s. Although the shapes in the pattern differ considerably, the combination of three colors and the overall appearance of the design suggest these may have been influenced or based on the Soviet 1980 TTsKO three color design.

• The camouflage pattern seen here is of Chinese origin and dates to 1995 or 1996. Uniforms were locally-made from imported Chinese fabrics and worn by some members of the VPA.

• Another woodland "influenced" design of Chinese origin, dating to mid-1990s, is seen here. These Chinese patterns are printed on the typical lightweight cotton-blend fabrics found on most PLA uniforms of that era, although the VPA uniforms are purely Vietnamese in construction and design.

• One of the more prolific patterns seen throughout the VPA is the Kiểu 94 (Type 94) or K94 tiger stripe hybrid pattern, which has a bamboo leaf overprint. Nicknamed Lá Tre, this design was in general use with the VPA from 1994 until approximately 2007. Several colourations exist.

• A woodland style camouflage pattern was first adopted by the VPA in 2007 (called K07), with uniforms of a much more modern styling than those historically worn. Occasionally nicknamed "lime woodland," the pattern features black, brown & green woodland shapes on a lime green base, and is worn by all branches of service.

• The Vietnamese Coast Guard would later adopt a locally-produced woodland variant of the K07 pattern with a blue colorway, seen here. This design has also been worn by the Naval Infantry of the Vietnam People's Navy (Hải quân nhân dân Việt Nam).

• Elements of the Vietnamese People's Air Force (Không Quân Nhân Dân Việt Nam) also wear a variation of woodland K07 camouflage, distinguished by having a very pale blue background element.

• Elements of the Vietnamese Naval Infantry Brigade (Lữ đoàn Hải quân đánh bộ) have appeared in public wearing a true copy of the US m81 woodland camouflage pattern, although many of the uniforms seem to be some sort of wet-weather gear (possibly a copy of the US issued ECWCS).

• The K17 family of patterns were introduced in 2017 with the goal of completely re-outfitting the entire VPA, including the Army, Navy, Coast Guard and Air Force. There are five color variations of the design, all based on the same drawings with alternative color palettes. The Army pattern consists of black, medium brown and grass green on a pale green background. The Air Force pattern incorporates black, olive green and a turquoise-green on a pale blue background, the Navy version has black, tan, and mid-blue on a pale blue background, and a Coast Guard version incorporates black, mid-blue and grey shapes on a pale blue background. There is also an "arid" variation, issued thus far to personnel attached to United Nations peacekeeping missions, consisting of medium brown, lichen green, and tan on a light sand-colored background.

• Early in 2019, it was announced that the entire Vietnamese People's Armed Forces would adopt a new series of camouflage designs based loosely on US M1967 ERDL or "leaf" pattern camouflage, which had also been reproduced earlier in Vietnam for use by commando and airborne units. Originally termed the K19 family, the new designs will outfit all branches of service, with a separate pattern being adopted for the Ground Forces, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force, and the Border Guards. Additionally, sources indicate that the Special Forces/Commandos will no longer wear a distinctive camouflage uniform, instead adopting the same K19 ERDL design as the rest of the Ground Forces. Now officially named the K20 (Kiểu 20) or "Type 20" series, these uniforms are the current camouflage design of the VPAF, although you can still find units with mixed helmet covers, body armor vest covers, load-bearing equipment, and even some uniforms in older camo designs interspersed with the current issue.

• The Cảnh sát đặc nhiệm or Special Criminal Police Force (aka Special Police) is a special task unit with multiple assignments that falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Public Security. It's members wear a dark-patterned pixelated camouflage design incorporating dark grey, dark olive green, and light grey.

• First appearing to the international public during the parade marking the 50th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War with the USA, the Khối Tác chiến không gian mạng or Airborne Special Forces of the VPA appeared in a new variation of the K20 pattern camouflage with an urban coloration of light grey, black, and off-white. Presumably this design is intended primarily for public appearances, and not for operational deployments, for which the unit will wear the standard camouflage of the Ground Forces.

• Another unit that has received its own version of the K20 design is the Bộ tư lệnh tác chiến không gian mạng or Cyber Warfare Command, which has appeared in public wearing a dark-blue dominant variation.

• First appearing in April 2025 (during the 50th Anniversary celebrations), this green pixelated design is now being worn by the 96th Electronic Warfare Brigade of the VPA.

• Introduced in July 2025, this brightly colored camouflage design has been adopted by the Chemical/Biological/Radiological/Nuclear (CBRN) troops of the armed forces.

• First appearing to the public in a military parade in July 2025, another brightly colored K20-series camouflage design is seen here, worn by the Combat Engineer Corps of the PVA.

Vietnamese People's Police Force Camouflage Patterns

• This strange "faded" leaf or woodland variant pattern was worn by some personnel the Mobile Police Command (Bộ Tư lệnh Cảnh sát cơ động), the SWAT-type tactical section of the CAND, during the late 1980s or early 1990s.

• This variation of the classic VPA leaf pattern was worn by the Mobile Police Command of the People's Public Security of Vietnam (Công an Nhân dân Việt Nam) - often simply called Công an (Public Security), or the Vietnamese Armed Police in English. Introduction began in the 1990s of this pattern which has black & dark green leaf elements on a white background. Some Vietnamese sources nickname this the "milk cow" design.

• Introduced after the "milk cow" design, another leaf pattern variant is this so-called "yellow cow" or "mustard leaf" pattern. This camouflage was still in circulation with some Public Security units up into the early 2000s.

• A color variation of the above pattern can be seen here, featuring dark green & ochre leaf elements on an off-white base, and has been documented in use as well.

• Seen here is a design from China, exported to Vietnam in the 1990s and worn by Vietnamese Mobile Police Command. The pattern consists of irregular shapes in black, medium brown, and dark olive green on a pale green background, and has been nicknamed "watermelon" pattern by many Vietnamese collectors. This same pattern was also exported to North Korea.

Experimental & Trial Vietnamese Camouflage

• Circa 2018, the Ministry of National Defense (Bộ Quốc phòng) was in the process of reviewing new camouflage designs to replace the previously adopted K17, which were apparently not as popular or effective as originally intended. Due to their popularity in many other countries, consideration was being given to adopting a series of pixelated camouflage designs, the K18 series. Development went so far as preliminary designs and some uniform samples, but these were ultimately rejected and plans went in a different direction that, ultimately, saw adoption of the K20 series of uniforms that are currently in service.

Unidentified Vietnamese Camouflage Patterns

The following are taken from original uniform samples sourced in Hanoi, but thus far their specific use is undocumented. It is as yet undetermined what branches of service or specific units have worn these patterns, but all can be dated to the 1990s.

• This pattern bears some resemblance to other designs worn by the Mobile Police Command, and may also be connected to that unit.

• A pattern having black & olive green amoeba shapes (some solid, some composed of lines, some of tiny dots) on a sea green background.

• A pattern having irregular brown & light olive green stripes on a yellow-tan base.

• A pattern having dark brown & mid-brown leaf elements with occasional brush strokes on a grey-olive base.