Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (المملكة العربية السعودية) is an Islamic absolute monarchy and the largest Arab nation in the Middle East. The Armed Forces of this nation comprise a number of conventional as well as non-conventional branches, the latter including the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG - essentially a private army loyal to the throne), the Saudi Royal Guard Regiment, Emergency Force (an anti-terrorism branch), the Saudi Special Forces (Thunder Forces), and the Border Guards and National Police Force. Some of these branches now have their own distinctive camouflage pattern.

Saudi Camouflage Patterns

• With early ties to Britain, some of the earliest camouflage patterns worn by this nation mirror those of the British Army. Two early patterns are documented, both derivatives of the original four-color desert DPM pattern developed in the UK. The oldest is probably a literal copy of the British version (initially sold to Iraq), although using slightly different colors. Seen below are examples of two early Saudi desert DPM patterns (1980s), attributed both to the National Guard and the Army.

• Another desert DPM type pattern from this time period uses a similar color scheme, but a completely different set of drawings. Although retaining some of the traditional features of DPM (such as stippling), the shapes themselves are obviously different, lacking the traditional "whorl" or circular orientation. The exact origin of this pattern is unknown, although it is attributed to use by the SANG during the 1980s.

• Long supportive of Saudi Arabia through large military contracts, the United States has had significant impact on the nation's armed forces in terms of camouflage uniforms as well. Indeed, the United States supplied the Saudis with US-made uniforms for a number of years, from the same factories and contractors that produced them for the US government. Both olive green and m81 woodland camouflage uniforms made in the USA were worn by Saudi forces in the late 1980s, although both began being phased out in the early 1990s in favor of desert camouflage designs. The woodland design continued to be favored by Saudi Special Forces in the 1990s, however, as it set the unit apart from the rest of the Saudi Armed Forces.

• Probably the longest-lived and most universally distributed camouflage pattern worn by the Saudi Armed Forces was a copy of the US designed six-color "chocolate chip" desert pattern. This was introduced to Saudi units in the late early 1990s and continued well into the present period in one form or another. Several variants have been produced as well. Both US and Asian contract uniforms have been documented, varying slightly in terms of coloration and orientation of the screens, of which the images below are only a sample.

• Within the Saudi Arabia National Guard are several units with elite status, including the Saudi Marines. For several years, this unit wore a grey variant of the standard six-color "chocolate chip" desert camouflage pattern. A similar pattern was also worn by the Marines of Kuwait and the UAE. It is believed this pattern is no longer being issued.

• Locally-produced copies of the standard US tricolor desert pattern have also been in use since the early 2000s as well. These vary in coloration, and are printed on a variety of fabric types.

• The Saudi Ministry of the Interior has in recent years adopted its own distinctive desert camouflage pattern, sometimes nicknamed "cracked earth" pattern for its resemblance to the dark cracks that emerge on sun-baked earth in the wadis of this region.

• Falling under the administration of the Ministry of the Interior (وزارة الداخلية) are the Special Security Forces, or Emergency Force (قوات الطوارئ), a special operations unit tasked with counter-terrorism, anti-smuggling, hostage rescue, and other specialized duties. In the early 2000s, a new variation of the six-color desert pattern was introduced for use by the Emergency Forces. This variation features black & grey "chips" over reddish-brown, dark olive green and dark tan shapes on a sandy background. At least a couple photographs have also depicted members not apparently attached to this unit wearing the pattern, so it may be the entire MOI has access to this camouflage and not simply the Emergency Force.

• Another branch of the Ministry of Interior with its own camouflage pattern is the Public Security Directorate (PSD) or مديرية الأمن العام. Members of this branch wear a two-color design, similar to that worn by Kuwait, having large shapes in olive green on a greyish-tan background.

• Around the year 2005, the Saudi Ministry of Defence re-introduced a DPM variant for issue to some units of the Royal Saudi Land Forces. Incorporating dark brown, russet & yellow-tan disruptive shapes on a sandy background, the pattern is quite different from the original version worn during the 1980s.

• Following on the footheels of many North American and European nations, two digital or pixelated camouflage designs were introduced recently for issue to the Royal Saudi National Guard (SANG) and the Saudi Royal Guard Regiment respectively. While the former resembles the digital patterns chosen by Kuwait and the UAE, the Royal Guard pattern features russet, pink-brown and pea green on a tan background. Both designs have the unit crest embedded into the design.