Desert Night Camouflage

Desert Night Camouflage
Fabric sample of the DNC
Type	Military camouflage pattern
Place of origin	United States
Service history
Used by	See Users
Wars	Gulf War

The Desert Night Camouflage pattern is a two-color grid camouflage pattern used by the United States military during the Gulf War. It was designed to aid soldiers in concealment from Soviet-based night vision devices (NVDs). ^[1] The pattern is now considered obsolete due to the increase in capability of foreign night vision devices. ^[2]

Even with the pattern being obsolete, it has gained interest due to its unusual look. ^[2]

History

DNC experimental helmet cover and set of parka and trousers, 1978

A US Marine in DNC (second from the right) in an illustration of Marine field dresses during the Persian Gulf War

The earliest photos of this camouflage pattern are dated to 1972, ^{[3] [4] [5]} and field tests occurred in 1976. ^[6] Distribution of garments in the Desert Night pattern started in 1981, however, was in limited numbers.^{[ citation needed ]}

During the Persian Gulf War, clothing sets in this pattern were issued in wider numbers to US soldiers and marines. ^[7] Sets of parkas and trousers were intended to be worn over the issued six-color Desert Battle Dress Uniform during nighttime operations. ^{[8] [ unreliable source? ]}

No replacement for a night-specific desert pattern has been created, as advancements in infrared reflectance technology in the immediate replacement Desert Camouflage Uniform (1991), and later, the Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (2002) and Army Combat Uniform (2005) have eliminated the need for a separate nighttime overgarment.^{[ citation needed ]}

Design

A ground shade of Light Green 426 and a grid and rubble print of Dark Green 425 make up the pattern's colors. ^[9] The DNC design was made from cross hatches and blotches, which was supposed to break up the wearer's image when looked at through various NVDs. ^{[10] [11]}

The clothing set was made for a parka and overpants. The parka's design was generally based around that of the M1951 "fishtail" parka, ^[7] and that of overwhite garments.^{[ citation needed ]}

Additionally, items such as commercially-produced Battle Dress Uniforms, M-65 field jackets, boonie hats, and patrol caps have historically been available on the civilian market. ^[12]

Criticism

During the Gulf War, one scout/sniper section of a Marine Corps battalion conducted a night test comparing the visibility of the desert night camouflage clothing with six-color desert uniforms and winter overwhites. The night camouflage clothing was less effective than both the day desert uniforms and winter overwhites when viewed through an AN/PVS-5 night vision device. ^[13]

The pattern was seen as effective on NVDs that were made in the 1970s. ^[11]

Users

•   United Kingdom : Used by UK special forces. ^[14]
•   United States : Used by US troops. ^[11] Also used by US special forces units. ^[14]

See also

• US Woodland pattern
• Six-color desert camouflage
• Three-color desert camouflage

References

1. McFarlane, Charles (22 March 2019). "Who Made That Strange Pixelated Camo?". Put This On . Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
2. Romsdahl, Isaac (21 March 2016). "Gulf War Desert Night Camouflage". Sportsman's Guide. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
3. G. T. (12 May 1972). "CEMEL, clothing, camouflage, desert (3 styles) in the field | NSSC Photo Collection". DigitalCommonwealth.org. Boston Public Library. NSRDEC: 1971/1972 Negatives (shelf locator). 003181a, 1042-C-5-12-33-1/NDC-72. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
4. G. T. (12 May 1972). "CEMEL, clothing, camouflage, desert (3 styles) in the field | NSSC Photo Collection". DigitalCommonwealth.org. Boston Public Library. NSRDEC: 1971/1972 Negatives (shelf locator). 003183a, 1042-C-5-12-33-2/NDC-72. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
5. Manzo, A. J. (9 December 1976). "Uniform, desert | NSSC Photo Collection". DigitalCommonwealth.org. Boston Public Library. NSRDEC: 1976 Negatives (shelf locator). 007433a, 1042-621-3-C-76. Retrieved 18 June 2025.
6. "The 6-Color And Night Desert Uniform Trials". soldiersystems.net. Soldier Systems Daily. 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 17 March 2025. Retrieved 18 June 2025. [From] the 'Desert Lab' article in the May 1976 issue of 'SOLDIERS' magazine"; "[The] head of the Clothing Equipment and Materials Engineering Laboratory at Natick (...) can be seen talking to a member of the 3rd ACR at Fort Bliss, Texas during the camouflage evaluation."; "During the test, members of the 'Brave Rifles' also tried out prototype Meals, Ready-to-Eat [experimental MREs].
7. Uniform History (28 February 2020). The History of: The US Military Desert Night Camouflage Pattern | Uniform History . Retrieved 14 June 2025– via YouTube.
8. Blechman, Hardy (6 August 2013). "The Complex Guide to Camo". Complex Networks . Archived from the original on 7 May 2016. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
9. "MIL-C-44034C: Cloth, Twill, Camouflage Pattern, Cotton and Nylon for Desert Uniform". DLA Quicksearch. 28 March 1986. 3.4.2 Class 2. Archived from the original on 3 March 2025. Retrieved 7 March 2025. The grid with rubble pattern shall be obtained by screen or roller printing with a resin bonded Dark Green 425 colorant over Light Green 426 ground shade.
10. "United States of America section". www.battlefront.com (aka "Steve's Page Of Camo"). 2005. Archived from the original on 24 May 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
11. Dougherty 2017, p. 82.
12. "Night Desert Camouflage - The Weirdest Camo of them All". McGuire Army Navy blog. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2025.
13. "Night camo clothing (Ed Rudnicki)". yarchive.net. Archived from the original on 20 July 2001. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
14. "Top 20 Military Camouflage Patterns Around the World". Military Machine. 12 January 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2025.

Bibliography

• Dougherty, Martin (2017). Camouflage at War: An Illustrated Guide from 1914 to the Present Day. London, UK: Amber Books. ISBN   978-1782744986.