Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan was formerly a part of the Soviet Union, the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic (TSSR). When the USSR collapsed, Turkmenistan was one of the last former republics to declare independence (27 October 1991).

The Armed Forces of Turkmenistan (Türkmenistanyň Ýaragly Güýçleri) consist of the Ground Forces (Army), Air and Air Defense Forces, Navy, Border Troops, Internal Troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and a National Guard. The ground forces were largely inherited from the Turkestan Military District of the USSR, but have been restructured and re-fitted in the years since the country was declared independent. Special units include a Marine Brigade, and a Special Operations Regiment (it is believed the 152nd Separate Air Assault Brigade is part of this Regiment).

At the time the Armed Forces of Turkmenistan were initially formed, Soviet-era uniforms were still being issued, and some of the patterns have continued to be worn into the present era.

Camouflage Patterns of Turkmenistan

• Variations of the Russian 1981 TTsKO (tritsvetnaia kamuflirovannaia odezhda) are the oldest patterns in service with Turkmen military personnel. Early uniforms were made in the USSR, but later issue versions appear to be imported from China.

• A variation of the TTsKO design unique to Turkmenistan has been documented and is seen here.

• The Soviet VSR or dubok (little oak) pattern with several color variations has been been documented in use by the Armed Forces and Border Guard services.

• The Russian-designed Berezhka (birch tree) pattern is worn by some units of the Turkmen Armed Forces, including paratroops and special forces.

• The Russian developed flora camouflage pattern has also been worn by the armed forces of Turkmenistan.

• Uniforms printed in the old and m81 style Chinese woodland camouflage designs are also known.

• Copies of the six-color "chocolate chip" desert pattern have been in service with a number of units within the Turkmen Armed Forces since at least 2003, including airborne personnel, monument guards, and border guards.

• The pixelated camouflage design seen here, incorporating dark grey, russet, and light olive shapes on a khaki background, has been issued to personnel of the Army of since around 2012-13. At least two variations have been documented, one printed on heavy cotton twill and another (more recent) printed on ripstop fabric (dating to 2017 or earlier) with a slightly varied color palette.

• Circa 2012-13, this pixelated desert pattern was first observed on Turkmen troops appearing in a military parade. It appears to be a three-color design, with brown and tan shapes on a light sand colored background.

• Use of this variation of the "chocolate chip" camouflage design, with a prominent shade of green replacing the usual brown, can be traced to at least 2015 by some personnel of the armed forces.

• Some units of the Turkmenistan Ministry of National Security (Türkmenistanyň Milli Howpsuzlyk Ministrilgi, or Министерство национальной безопасности Туркменистана - MNB) have appeared in parades or public appearances clad in a blue-dominant pixelated camouflage uniform such as that seen below.

• Special operations personnel from the Army wear uniforms in a copy of Multicam design.

• At least one unit of the Turkmen Armed Forces wears a copy of the Italian desert vegetato camouflage pattern, including full field equipment.

• Certain elements of the Ministry for National Security or MNB wear a pixelated desert camouflage pattern similar to that worn by Croatia. This design has been in use since at least 2016.

• The arid leaf camouflage design seen here has been in use with the Naval Infantry forces since at least 2018. The pattern consists of dark brown, light brown, and olive green organic shapes on a cream-colored background.

• In 2018 a new combat uniform was introduced for Naval Infantry, Military Pilots, and senior officers of the small Naval force. This unusual pattern consists of "brass-colored" amoeba shapes on an indigo background.

• A three-color desert pattern consisting of pixelated or semi-pixelated tan shapes on a sand-colored background has been in service with the armed forces since at least 2018.

• A variation of the above desert pattern with dark brown, black, and dark green shapes on a sand-colored background, is also in use with some units of the armed forces since 2018.

• The Turkmen Edermen special service group, a composite special operations unit drawn from elements of the armed forces and ministry of the interior, have been documented wearing a Multicam variant pattern with a dominant blue-green color.

• The Turkmen Edermen also wear a copy of the Fibrotex "pixelated Multicam" developed in the Netherlands.

• Also in use with the Turkmen Edermen special service group is a vertically-aligned "leaf" type pattern in desert colors.

• Although possibly implemented earlier, photographs from a 2019 exercise illustrate Ministry of the Interior Police wearing a blue-dominant pixelated camouflage uniform in lighter shades than that employed by the MNB.