Last summer, the U.S. Army confirmed that soldiers will begin wearing the new Army Combat Uniform (ACU) that bears the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) – also known as Scorpion W2. They are now being issued, and soldiers are expected to retire their prior uniforms by summer 2018.
This means it’s the end of the line for the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP), which was known for its digital-like appearance. Camouflage has undergone numerous changes in the past decade, and the new OCP is just the latest effort by the U.S. military to develop the “perfect camouflage.”
While not standing out on the battlefield would seem fairly obvious, the use of camouflage by the U.S. military only dates back 60 years. And, the use of camouflage by any army dates back just a couple of centuries.
Basic Green and Khaki
Today, we think of khaki as comfortable casual wear but it was born out of military necessity and was among the first types of camouflage.
