Norway

Norwegian Camouflage Patterns

• During the Second World War, hand-made all-white snow uniforms were worn by Norwegian troops until the nation was overrun by Nazi Germany. White oversuits have continued in use into the present era, although of varying types of fabric and styles of uniform. (no photo)

• In the 1950s, Norway experimented with simple camouflage patterns printed on a combination poncho & shelter half. One version incorporates blue-grey, dark green, reddish-brown and dark pink long "wave" shapes bordered with dark brown. These were in service into the 1970s and possibly later.

• The second Norwegian shelter pattern features blue-grey, dark green, reddish-brown and olive green irregular shapes with smaller, dark brown squiggles.

• A camouflage pattern for the Norwegian Air Force was introduced in the early 1980s and worn by many air force personnel until replaced by the adoption of the M98 uniform for all services. The pattern is the same as that of the Danish Army scarves, but uses a different colorway. Norwegian sources refer to this as the Luftvorsvarets Arbeidsuniform, or Air Force Working Uniform. Some versions of the pattern appear more green, while others have a stronger brownish tint.

• The standard Norwegian Army pattern is known as the M/75, probably for its year of development. Featuring large dark olive and russet shapes on a khaki-green background, the initial version was only printed on a combat field jacket that was worn with plain olive green trousers. This was the standard uniform of the Norwegian Army until the early 1990s.

• Circa 1998 a new style uniform was fielded for the Norwegian Army - the M/98 pattern. This uniform used essentially the same camouflage pattern as the M/75, although the colors are different. A ripstop version of the standard combat uniform was introduced in 2004, printed using the same colorway. As with earlier Norwegian patterns, subtle color differences are found among different production runs.

• Norway introduced a desert version of their standard camouflage pattern in 2003. It features reddish brown & beige shapes on a sandy background. The M/03 uniform was initially produced using a twill blend fabric, but this changed in 2004 to a ripstop fabric.

Other Camouflage Used by Norwegian Military Personnel

• Designed by Norwegian company Jerven in 1982, the Jervenduk ("Wolverine Cloth") is a multipurpose cold-weather accessory designed specifically for the Norwegian geography and climate. Originally intended for use by hunters and outdoorsmen, Jervenduk (also called the Jerven Bag) has been available in multiple camouflage patterns and color palettes. It can function as an insulated sleeping bag, blanket, shelter, poncho, windbreaker, tent, camouflage cover, or in multiple other uses. The most commonly seen pattern in use by Norwegian Army and Home Guard personnel is the "Mountain" pattern, a complex, photorealistic design intended to mimic the lichen-covered mountains and fjords of Norway, and incorporating multiple shades of gray, green, and brown. While not officially issued by the Norwegian Armed Forces, it has been authorized for private purchase by the Home Guard since the mid-1980s, and has been purchased at the unit level by Norwegian Army special units. It is most commonly seen used by Norwegian Army scouts, snipers, anti-tank, and anti-aircraft personnel, who can be required to maintain static positions in freezing temperatures for long periods of time.

• Norwegian special operations forces - Forsvarets Spesialkommando (FSK) in Afghanistan from 2002-2003 were seen using both Six-Color ("chocolate chip") and Tricolor desert camouflage combat uniforms prior to the widespread release of the M/03 pattern. Some of these uniforms were notably worn during Operation Anaconda in 2002.

• Forsvarets Spesialkommando (FSK) have adopted a version of the commercial Multicam pattern for issue to its personnel.

• FSK also issues the Swedish-made Taiga Snow UV Print (TSUP) pattern (distributed by Taiga AB of Sweden) to its personnel operating in snow-covered regions.