Czech Republic

The Czech Republic

On January 1st 1993 Czechoslovakia amicably divided itself into two states, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The camouflage designs adopted by the new Czech Republic were in fact created by designers when the country was still unified, and initially both nations adopted the same camouflage design for issue to its respective armed forces.

Czech Camouflage Patterns

• The Vz 85 "leaf" pattern was actually designed in 1985 and under consideration for issue to the Czechoslovak Army, although the plan was never implemented. The design is obviously influenced by the US M1948 ERDL pattern, although the coloration is considerably different. At least two production variations are known, and extant samples have all been properly stamped and tagged with official nomenclature of the Czech MOD. These were probably experimental uniforms, although they may have been used by Czech troops on UN missions prior to 1995.

• Also developed in 1985 but never adopted into Czechoslovakian service was the Vz 85 two-colour desert pattern. The brown sections of the desert pattern correspond to the brown parts of the vz 85 leaf pattern. Early versions of the desert pattern have a slightly different coloration to that eventually adopted, and the style of uniform also was also different. This became the standard desert pattern of the Czech Republic Armed Forces, and has been worn by Czech military personnel operating in desert regions since 1991. Originally printed on medium poplin material, later versions of the uniform are issued in ripstop cotton.

• Introduced in 1992, the Vz. 92 uniforme pracovni (work uniform) was probably never intended to function as camouflage in the traditional sense. It was in fact issued as a work uniform, with the dense dark olive "worm" pattern printed on a light olive base likely designed to mask stains such as oil and grease.

• Introduced just as finalizations were being made for the splitting of Czechoslovakia into two, separate nations, the Czech Prison Service (Vězeňská služba) adopted a copy of the US m81 woodland camouflage design for issue to selected personnel. This locally-produced design appears to be a fairly faithful and accurate copy of the US version, and was probably very short-lived as few examples of the uniforms have surivived into the 21st century.

• Essentially a color varint of the vz 85 design, the official camouflage pattern of the Czech Republic Armed Forces since 1995 is designated the Vz. 95 leaf pattern. This final version features black, grey-green & olive green ERDL/leaf shapes on a pale green background. Originally printed on heavy cotton twill fabric, more recent uniforms are being issued in a lighter-weight ripstop cotton blend.

• Elements of Czech Special Operations Forces, in particular 601 Special Forces Group (601 SkSS), wear Multicam pattern camouflage uniforms for operational deployments.

Other Camouflage Designs Worn by Czech Republic

• Like the Estonian Contingent, Czech military personnel deployed to Afghanistan as part of the KSS (Kontingent speciálních sil) have been observed occasionally wearing British desert DPM UBACS combat shirts along with their own Vz 85 desert uniforms and equipment.

Experimental or Trial Camouflage Patterns

• The blotch pattern seen below seems to have been an experimental or trial pattern from the 1980s or 1990s that was never adopted. The design consists of black, mid-brown and green blotches on a pale green background. It is possible this pattern was part of the trials that produced the vz 85 design that later became vz. 91, although there are examples dated later (circa 1994) suggesting there may have been another purpose entirely intended for these uniforms.