Desert Camouflage Uniform
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
military's Battle Dress Uniform
Battle Dress Uniform
The Battle Dress Uniform were the fatigues that the armed forces of the United States used as their standard uniform for combat situations from September 1981 to April 2005. Since then, it has been replaced in every branch of the U.S. military. Only the U.S. Navy currently authorizes wear of the...
(BDU) uniform, only featuring the three-color desert camouflage pattern of light tan, pale green, and brown, as opposed to the dark green, black, brown, and dark tan of the BDU's woodland pattern. The DCU and the BDU have been phased out of use with the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
by the new Army Combat Uniform
Army Combat Uniform
The Army Combat Uniform is the current combat uniform worn by the United States Army. It is the successor to the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform worn during the 1980s and 1990s. It features a number of design changes, as well as a different camouflage pattern from its...
(ACU).
The DCU "coffee stain camouflage" was developed to replace the 6 color desert camouflage "chocolate-chip camouflage
Chocolate-chip camouflage
Desert Battle Dress Uniform was the camouflage used by the United States Military during the Gulf War and in the early 1990s. The camouflage received its nickname because it resembles chocolate-chip cookie dough...
" uniform, which was deemed unsuitable for most desert combat theaters. As opposed to the original six color DBDU, which was meant for a rockier and elevated desert battlefield that was often not encountered and replaced the former DBDU. The DCU was meant primarily for a lower, more open, and less rocky desert battlefield space which became a common sight throughout the Gulf War campaign.
This uniform is also used by the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, which is also phasing out the DCU and BDU in favor of the new Airman Battle Uniform
Airman Battle Uniform
The Airman Battle Uniform is a service-distinctive camouflage battledress uniform for the United States Air Force. It is currently in full production and replaced the Battle Dress Uniform November 1st, 2011 after a four year phase-in period...
; and the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, which has also authorized a replacement uniform of its own. For the time being, this uniform continues to be used by members of the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
when deployed to the Middle East.
External links
- FAS page with descriptions and pictures of BDU camouflage patterns
- GlobalSecurity page detailing Desert BDU
- militaryclothing.com/img/DCU%20Quick%20Find.JPG
