Vietnam

Socialist Republic of Vietnam

The country that is today officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (Cộng hòa xã hội chủ nghĩa Việt Nam) was once a part of French Indochina. After the Japanese occupation of the Second World War ended, the Việt Minh (who had fought the Japanese during the war) strongly opposed French re-occupation of the country, 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 the start of 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 when 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 armed forces of Vietnam are called the Vietnam People's Army (Quân Đội Nhân Dân Việt Nam,) or VPA, and includes Ground Defense Forces, Border Defense Forces, the People's Navy, Marine Police (Coast Guard) and the People's Air Defense and Air Force. The national police force is called People's Police of Vietnam, which maintains public security and law enforcement.

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

• 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.

• In the mid-1990s, members of the đặc công Special Forces were observed wearing camouflage uniforms remarkably similar to those worn by the ARVN during the 1970s. While the uniforms were tailored in typical VPA style, the fabric weight and colors suggest the design was not simply a copy but in fact original fabric leftover from the Vietnam War.

• 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.

• Another leaf pattern variant dating to the late 1990s is this so-called "yellow leaf" or "mustard leaf" pattern. This camouflage was still in circulation with some VPA 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.

• Yet another variation has black & dark green leaf elements on a white background, dating to the late 1990s.

• 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.

Unidentified Vietnamese Camouflage Patterns

• The following are taken from original samples but their 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.

• A strange woodland variant pattern.

• 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.