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DPDU

An Australian soldier wearing DPDU in Afghanistan. He utilises the current version of the DPDU uniform.

DPDU1

DPDU Mk1

The SASR continued to search for a distinctive desert camouflage uniform and in 1998 they were issued a three-color variation of the standard Disruptive Pattern Camouflage. Often called Mk 1 Desert AUSCAM, the pattern featured sand & brown colored spots on a tan background. The uniform itself is officially designated Desert Pattern Disruptive Uniform (DPDU) and hence that term is also often applied to the desert camouflage pattern. The Mk 1 desert pattern was fielded by the SASR when they originally deployed to Afghanistan in 2001-2002; however, as the colors were universally disliked the pattern was not adopted.A second version of desert AUSCAM (Mk II) was then tested in Afghanistan between 2002 and 2003. This version featured mint green, grey, brown & light grey spots on a pinkish background, and saw service with the SASR and other Australian units deployed to that theater. Again, users were critical of the colors, so this was dropped as well.Beginning in 2002, then a third version of the desert AUSCAM (Mk III) was approved and issued to Australian personnel deployed to Afghanistan. Featuring pale green, brown & grey spots on a yellow-tan background, this color combination was deemed the most effective and ultimately appproved for general issue to the Australian Armed Forces. It has continued to serve in arid theaters of deployment and has remained relatively unchanged since.

DPDU2

DPDU Mk2

DPDU3

DPDU Mk3

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