Germanys Multicam-Copy? – Multitarn compared to Flecktarn and Multicam

The camouflage pattern originally reserved for special forces of the German Army (Bundeswehr), Multitarn, is now expected to gradually become available to the regular troops as well (German article: Hartpunkt.de / New Camouflage Pattern for the Bundeswehr). As a result, the pattern is widely talked about and is often described as “Multicam in a Flecktarn layout”. But is that really accurate?

Flecktarn and Multitarn

The pattern colloquially known as Flecktarn is more specifically the 5-Farben Tarndruck der Bundeswehr (according to TL, 5-color camouflage print of the Bundeswehr) and was introduced in 1991 as “Flecktarn B”. Over time, the pattern received small updates, including adjustments to its infrared signature. The pattern is designed for the European mixed forest and thus consists of green tones, earthy browns, and black, which further increases contrast. The TL 8305-0290 from 2015 defines the colors both in the visual and partially in the IR spectrum.

Multitarn, on the other hand, is significantly lighter and thus better suited for dry regions, urban environments, or landscapes affected by prolonged combat, where green vegetation is a distant memory. It was introduced for the Bundeswehr’s special forces. The Kommando Spezialkräfte (Army Special Forces) and the Kommando Spezialkräfte der Marine (Naval Special Forces) have been using it for quite some time.

The Flecktarn Pattern in General

The term “Flecktarn” essentially refers to the style of a camouflage pattern consisting primarily of spots. In German “spot” is translated to “Fleck” and “Tarn” means “camouflage”. However, the term has generally become synonymous with the Flecktarn we know. The 3-color Flecktarn is colloquially called desert camo. Fortunately, Multitarn was given its own distinct name to avoid confusion.
Now for the comparison: The spots in both patterns are quite similar. Yet, on closer inspection, some differences become apparent. For one, the Multitarn has some elements that are finer and smaller.

Flecktarn in Multicam Colors?

While Multicam includes color gradients within the pattern to increase tonal variance, Multitarn again relies on clear separation of colors. Even at a glance, the differences in colors are evident. The most significant differences are probably in the dark brown and the darker green.

Here’s a closer look. The color gradients, color differences, and also the differences in the shape of the spots become even more apparent.

What About Night Vision?

While the battlefield is increasingly dominated by thermal devices, drones, and other innovations, the topic of NIR signature remains relevant. This specifically refers to the definition of infrared remission values for the colors. This achieves a contrast that should provide camouflage even in the NIR. Flecktarn is easily recognizable as an IR camo pattern due to its strong contrast. The following black-and-white images were taken with a modified DSLR that only captures light above 720nm. This allows for a good estimation of a uniform’s infrared signature using daylight.

Here is Multitarn in the near-infrared. Again, a nice contrast in the pattern is visible.

The direct comparison of Multitarn and Flecktarn shows that the colors of Multitarn are generally a bit darker than Flecktarn in this mixed NIR spectrum — but black is omitted, which likely balances out the overall brightness.

Now two garments in Multicam. You can see that the infrared signature varies between different prints. Generally, the “Multicam specification” does not define such strong contrast in the NIR. I wrote more about this in my blog post “NIR Signature – Multicam and Flecktarn Compared“. On the left of the following photo is a UF Pro ULT pant with stretch material at the seat, and on the right is a UF Pro ACE winter jacket. On the grass, the shirt appears to perform slightly better than the pants.

Here’s a view of the two uniform pieces in the visible spectrum. The pants have been washed several times.

Now on the left, the same Multicam pants in direct comparison with the Multitarn combat pants on the right.

Here’s a close-up, but with the Multicam shirt. Comparing the brightest and darkest values here shows fairly similar results. Overall, though, Multitarn appears to have a finer pattern.

Conclusion

The comparison makes it clear: Multitarn is not simply Flecktarn in Multicam colors. A resemblance can’t be denied — but considering that Multicam has proven itself internationally for quite some time now, it’s no surprise that a pattern with very similar requirements ends up looking quite similar.

A comparison of camouflage performance in the field would certainly be interesting and is definitely an idea for the future 😉