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 designed in 1985 and under consideration for issue to the Czechoslovak Army, but the plan was never implemented and production runs only began after the Czechoslovakia split into two countries. The design is obviously influenced by the US M1948 ERDL pattern, although the coloration is considerably different. This version of the pattern was produced between 1991 and 1996, with at least two production variations known in lightweight fabric; extant samples have all been properly stamped and tagged with official nomenclature of the Czech MOD. Uniforms in this pattern saw only minimal deployment, most notably by Czech personnel serving in Kosovo (former Yugoslavia).

• Also developed in 1985 but never adopted into service with the Czechoslovak Army was the Vz 95 two-colour desert pattern. The brown sections of the desert pattern correspond to the same sections of the vz 85 leaf pattern. Early versions of the desert pattern have a slightly different coloration to the one eventually adopted into service with the Army of the Czech Republic, and the style of uniform 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 (until around 2005), 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 in 1993, 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), were the first units to begin wearing Multicam pattern camouflage uniforms for operational deployments. Use of Multicam has also been extended to the 43rd Airborne Regiment (Chrudim), the Long Range Reconnaissance Company of the 102nd Reconnaissance Battalion (Prostejov), and by some Forward Air Controllers (JTACs), as well as certain other reconnaissance and sniper units. As with many special operations units around the world, Crye is the favored manufacturer.

• In July 2022 the Czech Ministry of Defense announced that the Armed Forces would be adopting a new camouflage design to replace the Vz 95, one that would be effective at concealing troops both in the countryside and in urban operations. Officially designated MAD21 Camouflage Design Pattern 2021), the pattern was heavily influenced by Multicam and its derivatives fielded by the United States, Britain and Australia, and drew upon the expertise of the Department of Art Education at the University of Prague. Incorporating a color palette drawn from Multicam, the design itself does retain some elements of the Vz 95. .

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.