What Camouflage Does the US Army Use? | OCP Scorpion W2

The U.S. Army’s standard camouflage is the Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP), worn on the Army Combat Uniform since 2015.

If you’ve looked at a soldier in the last few years and noticed the tan, green, and brown pattern that looks like commercial MultiCam, you’ve seen OCP. The Army officially adopted this pattern in 2015 and finished replacing the older Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) by the end of September 2019. UCP authorization ended on 1 October 2019, so the current standard is unmistakably OCP.

Knowing the pattern and its history matters if you’re shopping for gear, serving, or just trying to identify what soldiers wear. Here’s the breakdown of what’s current, what it replaced, and what still lingers.

The Current Standard: Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP)

OCP is the Army’s main camouflage pattern and the standard combat-uniform camouflage for most soldiers. It was originally codified as Scorpion W2, a name that still appears in official documents. The pattern’s official Army name is Operational Camouflage Pattern, though its visual resemblance to MultiCam is so close that the two are often confused.

The Army chose OCP because it works across forest, desert, and urban environments. UCP, the pattern it replaced, was too light for many settings, so the switch to a more versatile design was a practical move. According to Military.com, the OCP Army Combat Uniform (ACU) includes coyote brown or sand leather/nylon boots, a patrol cap or boonie cover, fire-resistant nylon blend material, eight-pocket pants, and a five-pocket blouse.

The 2015 OCP release included some design tweaks: redesigned shoulder sleeve pockets with a zipper opening, no trouser drawstring, a button on the lower calf pocket, two pen pockets on the sleeve instead of three, and removal of the elbow and knee patch hook-and-loop closures.

What Replaced UCP, and When

The previous standard, UCP, was adopted in 2004 and used on the ACU through the late 2010s. Its grayish pixelated look was widely criticized for blending poorly with most terrain. The Army announced the switch to OCP in 2015 and completed the transition by 30 September 2019, with UCP authorization ending on 1 October 2019.

That date matters: if you see a soldier in a uniform with a gray, blue-gray, or washed-out pixel pattern, you’re looking at the old standard. UCP is no longer the authorized Army uniform camouflage. The Army’s own public explanation for the change emphasized effectiveness across forest, desert, and urban environments — something UCP’s single-tone design failed to deliver.

If you’re looking for reliable gear in the current pattern, our roundup of the best army camouflage pants on the market covers tested options in OCP and similar tones.

Common Misconceptions About Army Camo

Two mistakes show up constantly. First, people still call the Army’s current camo UCP. That pattern was replaced, and 1 October 2019 ended its authorization. Second, people treat OCP as a brand-new design. It’s not — it’s the Scorpion W2 pattern with a new name, and its resemblance to MultiCam is intentional enough that soldiers often swap the terms casually.

Also, don’t assume every piece of Army gear is OCP. Some legacy cold-weather overgarments and older body armor still show older camouflage, even after the uniform transition. UCP may still appear on those items, which are fielded for function rather than fashion. The transition was uniform-specific, so older equipment can look outdated without being unauthorized to wear underneath.

Key Facts At A Glance

For an authoritative source on the pattern’s details and history, Wikipedia’s article on the Operational Camouflage Pattern breaks down the design lineage from MultiCam to Scorpion W2 and the Army’s adoption timeline.