Multitarn, the German Army camouflage to replace the famous Flecktarn of 1990

The field of defense is undergoing many important changes, and among them, those related to mimetic patterns stand out.

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Following the digital camouflage that became fashionable with the Canadian CADPAT (1997) and the US Marines' MARPAT (2005), and the failed US Army UCP pixel pattern (2005), Crye Precision's MultiCam (2004) has created a powerful trend in many militaries, with several variants and imitations.

Amidst so many changes, the German Army has maintained a very popular and effective camouflage, the 1990 Flecktarn, also used by the German Navy and Air Force. This pattern bears certain similarities to the camouflage used by the Waffen-SS during World War II. Designed by the German company Marquardt & Schulz, Flecktarn (above these lines), an abbreviation for "Fleck Tarnung" (mottled camouflage) and technically known as Flecktarn B by the Bundeswehr, is a five-color mottled pattern: two variants of green, brown, black, and reddish. In addition, there is a variant for arid environments, Tropentarn (below these lines), made up of three colors: sand, brown, and green.

Flecktarn has not remained unchanged since 1990, but has undergone several variations in the number and shades of colors. For years, the Bundeswehr has been planning a new camouflage to replace Flecktarn and Tropentarn, thus avoiding having to use two different patterns depending on the environment.

The Bundeswehr Institute for Materials and Properties Research (WIWeB) presented a new pattern, Multitarn in 2016 (above and in the photos below), which improved the infrared signature of Flecktarn. The new camouflage was initially intended for the Kommando Spezialkräfte (KSK), the German Army's Special Forces Command, which has been using Multitarn for some years now.

The German Ministry of Defense has been resisting changing Flecktarn for years. After all, it's a very effective camouflage, and if a camouflage pattern works, why change it?

However, on July 30, German defense website Hartpunkt.de announced that the Bundeswehr has finally decided to replace Flecktarn with Multitarn. Starting in 2026, new equipment for the German military will incorporate the new camouflage pattern, with the plan to complete the Flecktarn replacement between 2028 and 2029. It should be noted that unlike the current camouflage, Multitarn will not be as easy to acquire on the civilian market, as the Bundeswehr holds the patent and could take legal action against its unauthorized use by any company.

Since Multitarn is currently used by the KSK, we can see its appearance in the photos featured in this article, published by the Bundeswehr. Unlike Flecktarn, which had five colors, Multitarn is a combination of six colors: light green, dark green, brown, beige, gray, and off-white.

Multitarn is generating very mixed opinions. Some love it, while others consider it an ugly pattern. Of course, Flecktarn's popularity won't make it an easy change. On the other hand, the experience with UCP, a camouflage designed to be used in all types of environments, was not positive, and shows that, with exceptions such as Multicam, it is difficult for a camouflage to work effectively in very different landscapes. In any case, Germany's plans to significantly increase the number of its armed forces may explain this change. Many uniforms and equipment will be needed, and in these conditions, it is cheaper to have a camouflage pattern that serves all purposes.

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Photos: Bundeswehr.