Can You Match the Camouflage to the Military Branch?

By: Diana Spasic
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Match the Camouflage to the Military Branch?
Image: Somchai Kongkamsri / Pexels

About This Quiz

Deception and concealment have always played a significant role in warfare, but it wasn’t until World War I that camouflage became regular and systematic.

The Western Front was the breaking point, where the proximity of the opposing trenches and the use of aerial reconnaissance made it easy to detect troops both behind and on the front lines. Armies urgently needed to find new ways to hide from enemy forces, as well as a way to observe and deceive them.

The French Army became the first army in the world to create a dedicated camouflage system in 1915. The word "camouflage" comes from a French verb that means "to make up for the stage." The following year, the British Army followed their lead and established its own camouflage section.

Since then, many nations have developed their own styles of camouflage, and different military branches use different camo patterns.

How well do you know the military camouflage patterns of the world? Can you match a camouflage to the right military branch? Take this quiz to find out!

US Marine Corps Desert Camouflage Uniform
Wiki Commons by CIA
Which military branch uses this camo?
United States Army
Mexican Naval Infantry
Canadian Armed Forces
North America
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The three-color desert camo pattern was introduced in the early 1990s for U.S. Army combat staff. Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait in 1990, leading to Operation Desert Storm, and U.S. troops needed a camouflage uniform to suit the desert environment.

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US Army Soldier
Shutterstock
What about this interesting camouflage? Who uses it?
East German National People's Army
United States Army
Irish Defense Forces
Rhodesian Security Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) is a camo pattern adopted in the mid-2010s by the United States Army. It is used as the U.S. Army’s main camouflage pattern on uniforms.

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Navy Working Uniform Type 3
Wiki Commons by U.S. Navy
Do you know to which branch this particular camo pattern belongs?
United States Navy
Turkish Armed Forces
Peruvian marines
French military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2016, the U.S. Navy started transitioning from the Navy Working Uniform (NWU) Type I to the NWU Type III. As of October 2019, all Sailors will be wearing the NWU type III as their primary working uniform.

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 Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform
Wiki Commons by U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Joshua Powell
Do you recognize this pattern? With which military branch can you associate it?
U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps
Australian Army
Irish Defence Forces
French military
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Australian Multicam Camouflage Uniform is the current official battledress camouflage pattern for the Australian Army. It was issued in 2014. The Australian military first started producing camouflage uniforms during the Vietnam War.

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Airman Battle Uniform
Wiki Commons by Qirille
Can you match this camo to the right military branch?
British Armed Forces
United States Air Force
Turkish Armed Forces
Canadian Special Operations Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Airman Battle Uniform (A.B.U.) is a service-distinctive U.S. camouflage battledress uniform. It is primarily used by the United States Air Force.

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Navy Working Uniform Type I
Wiki Commons by U.S. Navy
How about this uniform?
Italian Armed Forces
Russian Armed Forces
Dutch Marine Corps
United States Navy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Navy Working Uniform Type I (N.W.U.) is still currently used by the United States Navy, but it will be completely replaced with N.W.U. Type II in 2019. It is a “working” uniform, which means it was made to be more durable and utilitarian.

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U.S. Woodland camouflage
Wiki Commons by U.S. Army
Can you guess which military branch uses this camo?
United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command
South Vietnamese Armed Forces
Italian Navy
Afghan National Army
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

U.S. Woodland is a camouflage pattern that used to be used by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. Today, it is used by the United States Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.

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Tropentarn
Wiki Commons by Murchison-Eye
This one is quite famous. Which organization used to wear it?
People's Liberation Army
Chilean Marine Corps
Bundeswehr
Italian Air Force
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The so-called Tropentarn, formerly known as Wüstentarn, is a camo pattern used by the unified armed forces of Germany, also known as the Bundeswehr.

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Navy Working Uniform Type 2
Wiki Commons by U.S. Navy
Match the camouflage from the image to the correct military branch.
Rhodesian Security Forces
Belgian Land Component
United States Navy
South Vietnamese Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Specialized U.S. Navy units including the Navy SEALs, Seabees and Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewmen wear this pattern, which is known as the New Working Uniform (or N.W.U.) Type II.

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Canadian Disruptive Pattern - Terrain Woodland
Wiki Commons by Doubleailes
Which military branch is known for wearing this camouflage?
Polish Armed Forces
Canadian Armed Forces
Nigerian Navy
Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Canadian Disruptive Pattern — Terrain Woodland (CADPAT TW) is a digital pattern generated by computers. It's used by the Canadian Armed Forces and is intended to protect against detection by night vision devices.

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Desert Battle Dress Uniform
Wiki Commons by Pretzelpaws
Can you match this pattern to the correct military branch?
United States Armed Forces
Chilean Marine Corps
Danish Armed Forces
Singapore Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Desert Battle Dress Uniform was used by The United States Armed Forces from the early 1980s to mid-1990s. It was mostly worn during the Persian Gulf War.

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Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform
Wiki Commons by Larry Edmond
To which military branch does this pattern belong?
United States Navy
Turkish Armed Forces
East German National People's Army
Australian Defense Force
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Disruptive Pattern Camouflage Uniform (DPCU), also known as "Auscam" or "jelly bean" camo is a five-color pattern used by the Australian Defense Force.

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Desert Night Camouflage
Wiki Commons by Jesse Ables
Match this camo pattern to its military branch.
Finnish Defence Forces
South African National Defence Force
United States Armed Forces
Italian Air Force
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Desert Night Camouflage was used by the United States Armed Forces during the Gulf War. It’s a two-color grid camouflage pattern.

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Disruptive Pattern Material
Wiki Commons by Cpl Adrian Harlen RLC/MOD
Can you tell which special forces are known for wearing this camo?
British Armed Forces
Belgian Land Component
U.S. Marine Corps JROTC cadets
Dutch Marine Corps
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) is used by the British Armed Forces and was first issued in 1960. It's also been used by a number of other armies worldwide, mainly in former British colonies.

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Erbsenmuster
Wiki Commons by Germina
What military branch matches this camo pattern?
Polish Armed Forces
Rhodesian Security Forces
Waffen-SS
U.S. National Counterterrorism Center
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Erbsenmuster or "pea-dot" pattern was one of the commonly used German World War II camouflage patterns. It was first issued to the Waffen-SS in 1944.

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Universal Camouflage Pattern
Wiki Commons by Qirille
How about this design?
U.S. Navy
Nigerian Navy
Tunisian Army's Special Forces Group
Georgian Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Universal Camouflage Pattern (U.C.P.), also known as Digital Camouflage (digicam) or A.C.U.P.A.T. (Army Combat Uniform Pattern), is used by the United States Navy as well as the U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Air Force.

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Tigerstripe
Wiki Commons by U.S. Navy photo by Lt.j.g. Todd Spitler
Are you familiar with the army that’s known to wear this camo?
South Vietnamese Armed Forces
Chilean Marine Corps
Irish Defence Forces
Georgian Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Tigerstripe is a group of camouflage patterns developed for close-range use in dense jungle. The South Vietnamese Armed Forces created it, and U.S. Special Forces adopted it during the Vietnam War.

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Tactical Assault Camouflage TACAM
defrev / Youtube
To which military branch does this camo pattern belong?
Mexican Naval Infantry
U.S. National Counterterrorism Center
Danish armed forces
Peruvian marines
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tactical Assault Camouflage (TACAM) is a camouflage pattern exclusively used by the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center.

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Flaechentarnmuster Kartoffelmuster
Wiki Commons by Joan Rocaguinard
Match this camouflage to the right military branch!
South Vietnamese Armed Forces
Italian Air Force
Finnish Defence Forces
East German National People's Army
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Flächentarnmuster, also called Kartoffelmuster (potato), or Blumentarn (flower), is an interesting pattern from the Flecktarn family of camouflage. It was worn by the East German National People’s Army.

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Flecktarn
Wiki Commons by Thimbleweed
Which military organization is known for wearing this pattern?
Waffen-SS
Azerbaijani Armed Forces
People's Liberation Army
Danish Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Flecktarn series includes disruptive camouflage patterns with three, four, five, and six colors. Waffen-SS combat units wore the original German five-color pattern, which was designed to match Europe's woodland environment.

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Frog Skin camouflage
Wiki Commons by IQ125
Can you match the camo pattern to the right military branch?
Finnish Defense Forces
United States Marine Raiders
Turkish Armed Forces
Canadian Special Operations Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Frog Skin is a battledress camouflage pattern. It was the United States military’s first attempt at disruptive coloration camouflage. It was first issued in 1942 to the Marine Raiders.

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HyperStealth Spec4ce Afghan Forest
Wiki Commons by NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan SSgt Sarah Brown/NTM-A Public Affairs
Which one of these branches uses this camo pattern?
Nigerian Navy
Polish Armed Forces
Italian Armed Forces
Afghan National Army
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Afghanistan National Army (A.N.A.) issued the HyperStealth Spec4ce Afghan Forest pattern as their official camouflage pattern in 2010. This pattern was designed specifically to provide better protection at night.

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Jigsaw camouflage
Wiki Commons by 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command from Grafenwoehr, Germany
Can you match the camo to the right military branch?
South African National Defence Force
Russian Armed Forces
Belgian Land Component
People's Liberation Army
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jigsaw camouflage pattern was originally mainly used by special forces and paratroops in Belgium and the Netherlands. The Belgian Land Component now wears it.

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Lizard pattern TAP47
Wiki Commons by Thimbleweed
How about this interesting camo pattern?
French Ground Army
British Armed Forces
United States Armed Forces
Chilean Marine Corps
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lizard pattern ("TAP47 pattern" or "Leopard pattern" for the French) was first used by the French Ground Army on uniforms from 1947 to the late 1980s.

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Finnish Defense Forces M05
Wiki Commons by Pekka Vilhunen
This one is quite particular. Can you match it to the army that uses it?
Georgian Armed Forces
Finnish Defense Forces
East German National People's Army
Belgian Land Component
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Finnish Defense Forces use the M05 series of military camouflage patterns on uniforms and other equipment. The first M05 items were issued to troops in 2007.

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M84 camouflage
Wiki Commons by Skjoldbro
Do you know who uses this interesting camo pattern?
Danish Defence
Tunisian Army's Special Forces Group
Russian Armed Forces
U.S. Marine Corps JROTC cadets
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The M84 camouflage pattern used to be the official camouflage pattern of the Danish Defence. It was given the name "Model 1984," because it was presented in the year 1984.

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Marina Trans Jungle
Wiki Commons by MC2 Joshua Scott
Which military branch uses this camo?
U.S. National Counterterrorism Center
French military
Dutch Marine Corps
Mexican Naval Infantry
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Marina Trans Jungle is a camouflage pattern selected by the Naval Infantry of Mexico in 2015 for their uniforms. It was previously known as the US4CES Transitional camouflage pattern.

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Leibermuster
Wiki Commons by Joan Rocaguinard
Do you recognize this one? To which branch does it belong?
Waffen-SS
Italian Navy
Rhodesian Security Forces
Afghan National Army
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Leibermuster is a German military camouflage pattern. It was the last of a series of German World War II camouflage patterns, first used in 1945.

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MARPAT
Wiki Commons by Lance Corporal Juan D. Alfonso
How about this camo pattern?
Singapore Armed Forces
United States Marine Corps
Nigerian Navy
Polish Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The United States Marine Corps use MARPAT (short for Marine pattern). It’s a multi-scale camouflage pattern designed in 2001.

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MultiCam
Wiki Commons by U.S. Army / U.S. federal government
Can you connect this camouflage to the right military branch?
Belgian Land Component
U.S. Armed Forces
Danish Armed Forces
Mexican Naval Infantry
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

MultiCam is a camouflage pattern first unveiled and designed in 2002 for the use of the U.S. Armed Forces in various seasons, environments, elevations, and light conditions.

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Multi-Terrain Pattern
Wiki Commons by Amanda Reynolds, Ministry of Defence photographer
What about this camo pattern?
British Armed Forces
Azerbaijani Armed Forces
Irish Defence Forces
Tunisian Army's Special Forces Group
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Multi-Terrain Pattern (MTP) is used by the British Armed Forces as a camouflage pattern for equipment. This pattern was designed to be effective in a wide variety of terrains.

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Rhodesian Brushstroke
Wiki Commons by Katangais
Which military group was known for using this camo pattern?
Rhodesian Security Forces
U.S. National Counterterrorism Center
Canadian Special Operations Forces
Turkish Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Rhodesian Brushstroke camouflage pattern was worn by members of the Rhodesian Security Forces from 1965 until 1980, when a vertical lizard stripe pattern replaced it. The former country of Rhodesia is now the modern-day nation of Zimbabwe.

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Soldier 2000 South Africa
Wiki Commons by en
Can you match this pattern to the right military?
South African National Defense Force
United States Air Force
South Vietnamese Armed Forces
Finnish Defense Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Known as the “Soldier 2000”, this pattern is used by the South African National Defense Force (SANDF). It was designed for all terrains and seasons encountered across South Africa.

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Hellenic Lizard
Wiki Commons by Thimbleweed
What about this one?
Italian Armed Forces
Moldovan Special Forces
Hellenic Armed Forces
Singapore Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Hellenic camo pattern, also known as the "Hellenic Lizard," is among the rarest camouflage patterns. It was introduced in the mid-1970s and is used by the Hellenic Armed Forces.

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Splittermuster Gerrman
Wiki Commons by Mediatus
Almost there! Do you know which force uses this pattern?
German Airforce
French military
United States Navy
Italian Air Force
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Germany developed the Splinter camouflage pattern (also called Splittermuster or simply Splittertarn) in the late 1920s. It was issued to all Wehrmacht units, especially to the German Airforce.

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Brushstroke military camo
Wiki Commons by Cpl Adrian Harlen RLC/MOD
How about this artsy pattern? Which branch used to wear it?
South Vietnamese Armed Forces
U.S. National Counterterrorism Center
Afghan National Army
British Special Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Brushstroke military camouflage pattern was developed for use by British paratroopers during World War II. It was the favorite design of the British Special Forces in the 1960s.

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Duck Hunter
Wiki Commons by IQ125
Do you recognize this pattern? Which branch wore this sort of camouflage?
United States Marine Raiders
Australian Defence Force
East German National People's Army
Georgian Armed Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Duck Hunter is a favorite camouflage pattern among, you guessed it, duck hunters. However, it was originally known as U.S. M1942, a design used by the United States Marine Raiders.

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Rain Camo
Wiki Commons by Joan Rocaguinard
Which branch used to wear this rainy camo pattern?
Russian Armed Forces
German Airforce
Dutch Marine Corps
United States Navy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This camouflage was designed to evoke the image of falling rain. The German Airforce experimented with rain-inspired camouflage patterns in World War II, but this pattern became widely used during the Cold War.

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Flecktarn camo 2
Wiki Commons by Benjamín Núñez González
Do you recognize this camouflage? To which military branch does it belong?
U.S. Marine Corps JROTC cadets
West German Army
Singapore Armed Forces
South African National Defence Force
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Flecktarn camo pattern became a standard issue for German troops in the 1970s. The leopard pattern was worn by the West German Army originally, but it took Europe by storm the same way Woodland did in North America.

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ERDL pattern
Wiki Commons by ERDL U.S. Army
Final question! Match this camouflage to the right military branch!
Georgian Armed Forces
U.S. Marine Corps
Moldovan Special Forces
Irish Defence Forces
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The E.R.D.L. pattern is also known as the "Leaf" pattern. It’s a camo pattern developed by the United States Army its Engineer Research & Development Laboratories in 1948.

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Somchai Kongkamsri / Pexels