Disruptive Pattern Material

Disruptive Pattern Material (DPM) is the commonly used name of a camouflage pattern used by the British Armed Forces as well as many other armies worldwide, particularly in former British colonies. It is also the field/combat dress camouflage pattern worn by the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI).

The main variants of DPM are a four-colour woodland pattern, and desert patterns in two, three or four colours. The Woodland Pattern DPM was used with the mediumweight No.8 Temperate Combat Dress (c.1966/1968) and lightweight No.9 Tropical Combat Dress (c.1976). The later Desert Pattern DPM (c.late 1980s) was designated the No.5 Desert Combat Dress.

DPM has also been produced in black/white/grey Urban DPM, in various blue tones and even in purples (this last for the Swazi Royal Guard).

DPM has been phased out in British military service, superseded by Multi-Terrain Pattern.

The British Army first used a form of DPM for the famous Denison smock issued to the Parachute Regiment and British Commandos from the early 1940s. The first examples of this design were said to be hand-painted. The Denison smock design went through minor changes, and continued in use with the Royal Marines and the Parachute Regiment until the 1970s.

From 1969, the British Army was issued with the so-called 1960 Pattern field-uniform range to replace earlier plain green uniforms. This consisted of a Smock, Combat, Trousers, Combat, a Hood, Combat attached to the smock by the two epaulette buttons, and a third concealed under the collar; and for exceptionally cold conditions, a Parka.

A new British DPM was developed in the early 1960s, using the four basic western European temperate colours of black, dark brown, mid-green and a dark sand to make a very effective camouflage that has survived in its basic design, with no more than slight changes to the colours and pattern, until current times.

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