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Airman Battle Uniform
A captain of the United States Air Force wearing the Airman Battle Uniform
Type	Military camouflage patterned uniform
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	2007–2021 (USAF/USSF) 2016–present (Civil Air Patrol)
Used by	United States Air Force  United States Space Force See Users for non-U.S. users
Wars	Global War on Terrorism
Production history
Designed	2003–2006
Produced	2006–present
Variants	Airman Battle Shirt (ABS) Airman Battle System-Ground (ABS-G)

The Airman Battle Uniform (ABU) is a U.S. camouflage combat uniform formerly worn by members of the United States Air Force, United States Space Force, and some civilian employees of the U.S. Department of the Air Force until April 2021. It replaced the Battle Dress Uniform and Desert Camouflage Uniform on 1 November 2011 after a four-year phase-in period.

On 14 May 2018, The U.S. Air Force announced that all airmen will transition from the Airman Battle Uniform to the OCP Uniform. All airmen have been permitted to wear the OCP Uniform since 1 October 2018, and the wear out date for the ABU was 1 April 2021. The ABU is currently worn by the Civil Air Patrol.

History

2000s

2003–2006: Prototypes and testing

The first prototype of the ABU was unveiled in the summer of 2003. The early uniform prototypes consisted of trousers, an embroidered undershirt, and a blouse. The prototype camouflage pattern was a blue/gray, tigerstripe pattern, based upon the tigerstripe uniforms worn by airmen during the Vietnam War.

After months of wear testing, Air Force officials revised the color scheme and camouflage pattern due to feedback received from airmen. The new semi-pixelated tiger-stripe pattern would trade its dominant blue overtones for a more subdued palette, similar to the Universal Camouflage Pattern, but with some added slate blue tones. The uniform maintains a similar cut to the previous Battle Dress Uniform, rather than the contemporary Army Combat Uniform. The fabric was made in 50-50 nylon and cotton in order to reduce the need for summer/winter-type uniforms.

2007: ABU Roll-out

On 2 October 2007, the Air Force began issuing the ABU to enlisted trainees in Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, was issued to the Class of 2012 at the United States Air Force Academy on 26 June 2008, and was made available for all airmen. Since 2008, it has been issued to airmen deploying to locations in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

2009: Airman Battle Shirt introduced

Starting in 2009, airmen who were in ground combat roles, such as Security Forces, were issued the new Airman Battle Shirt (ABS). The ABS was based on the Army Combat Shirt (ACS). Like the ACS, the ABS is a stand-alone shirt designed specifically for use with Improved Outer Tactical Vest armor in warm and hot weather. It is intended to greatly increase user comfort through the use of lightweight, moisture-wicking, and breathable fabrics. The ABS features the same tiger stripe pattern on the sleeves.

2010s

In 2010, the Operation Enduring Freedom Pattern Army Combat Uniform was authorized to replace the Airman Battle Uniform for airmen in the War in Afghanistan.

In June 2011, The Air Force Times released the announcement of a summer weight ABU to be available in 2012. The Improved Airman Battle Uniform will be made of a 50–50 nylon-cotton blend and was composed of the same material used by the Army for the ACU. Just like the ABU, the IABU is machine washable and also wrinkle resistant. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz gave approval of the IABU coat and pants which will be available to trainees at Basic Military Training first.

The ABU was fully phased in on 1 October 2011, completely replacing the BDU and DCU though most airmen had been wearing the ABU for several years by that point.

2016: Civil Air Patrol adopts the ABU

The Air Force's civilian auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol, wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, and in May 2016, the national commander of the Civil Air Patrol issued a memorandum allowing the wear of the ABU effective 15 June 2016. However, the uniform is worn with dark blue background and light silver lettering name and branch tapes and black boots in order to distinguish CAP personnel.

2018: Switch to Operational Camouflage Pattern

All airmen have been authorized to wear the Operational Camouflage Pattern instead of ABUs since 1 October 2018. Recruits in basic training and cadets in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, and Officer Training School started being issued OCPs on 1 October 2019. The Airman Battle Uniform was no longer authorized to wear after 1 April 2021.

2020s

2022: Use by Ukraine

A limited number of Ukrainian Armed Forces personnel have been photographed wearing the ABU during the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Features and attributes

The Airman Battle Uniform is similar to the Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) in color, with the inclusion of slate blue, but is otherwise nearly identical to the BDU cut. The ABU is to be worn with sage green combat boots. The ABU does have essential NIR (near-infra red) qualities, and the sleeves are authorized to be rolled up.

Overview of the Airman Battle Uniform is as follows:

• Headwear
  • Patrol cap.
  • Boonie cover is available for the ABU for use in deployed locations.
  • Organizational ballcaps are authorized for RED HORSE and Combat Arms Training and Maintenance personnel.
  • Berets are authorized for Special Warfare, Security Forces, and Combat Aviation Advisers.
  • Sage-green or black watch cap for cold climate environments with outerwear.
• Sand T-shirt
• Blouse
  • All insignia, including occupational badges (aeronautical wings, occupational badges, etc.), are embroidered in midnight-blue thread with urban-gray background with the exception of rank insignia for 2nd Lieutenant and Major, which incorporate brown thread.
  • Name and service tapes are embroidered in midnight-blue thread on ABU patterned background tapes.
  • Chaplain, aeronautical, space, cyber, missile, occupational badges, duty shields, commander's badge, and weapons school patches are authorized.
• Outerwear such as APECS parka and sage green fleece are authorized for the ABU
• Sand rigger's belt
• Trousers
• Sage green combat boots
  • DLA green socks.

Backpacks and other accessories must be sage, black, or ABU pattern.

Users

•  Dominican Republic: Worn by Dominican Air Force.
•  Egypt: Worn by Egyptian Air Force and Egyptian Air Defense Forces
•  Ukraine: In limited service
•  United States:
  •  United States Air Force: Former standard camouflage uniform of US Airmen from 2007 to 2021. It is still authorized for wear by members of the Civil Air Patrol, the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, as of 2021.
  •  United States Space Force: Worn from 2019 to 2021.
  • Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps: Many AFJROTC units/squadrons may use retired United States Air Force ABUs, sometimes with and sometimes without Hook-and-loop fastener places for the cadet's last name to be displayed. Some of the ABUs may say, "AFJROTC" or on rare occasions, "U.S. AIR FORCE", primarily for instructors or teachers.

See also

Current U.S. uniforms

• Army Combat Uniform
• Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform
• Navy Working Uniform
• Operational Dress Uniform (U.S. Coast Guard)

Former U.S. uniforms

• Battle Dress Uniform
• Desert Battle Dress Uniform
• Desert Night Camouflage

Notes

1. Formally; limited prototype testing from 2006 to 2007. Used alongside the Battle Dress Uniform (BDU) until 2011. Was discontinued in 2021.

References

1. ^ "Space Force issues service-specific uniform guidance". 27 August 2020.
2. Uniform phase-out date set for Nov. 1 Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
3. ^ Cox, Matthew (14 May 2018). "Air Force transitions to a single combat uniform". AF.mil. Archived from the original on 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
4. "Wearing the Uniform | Civil Air Patrol National Headquarters".
5. About.com US Military, (2004). Air Force Changes Color for Proposed Utility Uniform. Retrieved 7 April 2006. Archived 12 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine
6. "USAF Contracts for New Uniforms and Clothing".
7. New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals . New uniforms: Comfortable, functional are goals. Retrieved 14 May 2009. Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine
8. Bruce Rolfsen. "Airmen will receive MultiCam, eventually". Army Times Publishing Company. Retrieved 13 September 2010.
9. Larter, David (3 July 2011). "Lighter ABUs to help Airmen to beat heat in 2012". Archived from the original on 20 July 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2024.
10. Air Force Link, (2006). "Airman Battle Uniform finalized, ready for production Archived 22 March 2006 at the Wayback Machine"
11. "Memorandum for All CAP Members" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 May 2016. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
12. Mancaso, Shon J. (13 July 2018). Dress and Personal Appearance of Air Force Personnel (PDF) (Report). Department of the Air Force. p. 9 of PDF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
13. "Soldiers received boots and uniforms". United Help Ukraine. Archived from the original on 16 August 2022.
14. @Militarylandnet (28 July 2022). "📷Ukrainian volunteer battalion Freikorps in the area of operations #UkraineRussiaWar" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
15. "Fighting in trenches at Ukraine's front line". Reuters. 13 April 2023.
16. "Sleeves can now be rolled up". Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 6 July 2016.
17. "Airman Battle Uniform poster". af.mil. 2007. Archived from the original on 23 July 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2007.
18. "The irresponsibly stupid and dangerous camouflage patterns of the U.S. Military". The Week. 22 January 2013.
19. "Airman Battle Uniform in Ukraine". 27 April 2023.
20. "It's Official: The Air Force Is Switching to the Army's OCP Uniform". 14 May 2018. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
21. "Pentagon spends billions on duplicative camouflage outfits, GAO says". Center for Public Integrity. 12 April 2013. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.

External links

• History of U.S. Air Force Uniform Project – Tiger Stripe Products Archived 14 December 2006 at the Wayback Machine

v t e United States Air Force
Leadership	Department of the Air Force Secretary of the Air Force Under Secretary of the Air Force Air Staff Chief of Staff Vice Chief of Staff Director of Staff Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Four-star generals Three-star generals 1940–1959 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present House Armed Services Committee House Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces House Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces Senate Committee on Armed Services Senate Subcommittee on Airland Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces
Structure	Commands Reserve Air National Guard Field Operating Agencies Installations Direct Reporting Units District of Washington Operational Test and Evaluation Center USAF Academy Major commands ACC AETC AFGSC AFMC AFRC AFSOC AMC PACAF USAFE–AFAFRICA Numbered Air Forces First Second Third Fourth Fifth Seventh Eighth Ninth Tenth Eleventh Twelfth Thirteenth Expeditionary Fifteenth Sixteenth Eighteenth Nineteenth Twentieth Twenty-Second Wings ANG Groups ANG Squadrons ANG Security Forces Civilian auxiliary: Civil Air Patrol
Personnel and training	Personnel Rank officers cadets enlisted Specialty Code Aeronautical ratings Judge Advocate General's Corps RED HORSE Security Forces Medical Service Chief of Chaplains Chief Scientist Training: Air Force Academy Officer Training School Reserve Officer Training Corps Basic Training Airman Leadership School SERE Fitness Assessment
Uniforms and equipment	Awards and decorations Badges Equipment Aircraft Uniforms
History and traditions	History Aeronautical Division / Aviation Section / Division of Military Aeronautics / Army Air Service / Army Air Corps / Army Air Forces "The U.S. Air Force" Air Force Band Airman's Creed Core Values Flag Symbol Memorial National Museum Women Airforce Service Pilots Air Force One / Air Force Two Honor Guard Thunderbirds Service numbers Air & Space Forces Association
Category

v t e Camouflage
Methods	Camouflage Countershading Active camouflage Counter-illumination Disruptive coloration Coincident disruptive coloration Disruptive eye mask Distractive markings Motion camouflage Multi-scale camouflage Multi-spectral camouflage Self-decoration Snow camouflage Urban camouflage
In nature	As evidence for natural selection Crypsis Decorator crab Flower mantis Mimicry Batesian Müllerian Aggressive Underwater camouflage
People	Early Edward Bagnall Poulton The Colours of Animals Abbott Handerson Thayer Concealing-Coloration in the Animal Kingdom Camoufleurs Mary Taylor Brush Lucien-Victor Guirand de Scévola John Graham Kerr Norman Wilkinson Everett Warner Leon Underwood Johann Georg Otto Schick Hugh Cott Adaptive Coloration in Animals Geoffrey Barkas Timothy O'Neill Researchers Roy Behrens Tim Caro Innes Cuthill Thomas N. Sherratt Martin Stevens
Military	Topics Military camouflage Aircraft camouflage Camouflage clothing in Trinidad and Tobago Dazzle camouflage List of countries that prohibit camouflage clothing Middle East Command Camouflage Directorate Ship camouflage USN WWII camouflage measures Patterns Up to WWII German WWII Splittertarnmuster (1931) Platanenmuster (1937) Rauchtarnmuster (1939) Palmenmuster (c 1941) Sumpfmuster (1943) Erbsenmuster (1944) Leibermuster (1945) Other Camouflage tree (1915) Lozenge (1917 aircraft) Telo mimetico (1929 tent) Denison smock (1941) Frog Skin (1942) Ghillie suit Post-war Lizard (1947) Strichtarn (1960) KLMK (1968) Late 20th century Jigsaw (1958) Tiger stripe (1962) Rhodesian Brushstroke (1965) ERDL (1967) Disruptive Pattern Material (1969) wz. 68 Moro (1969) Six-Color Desert Pattern (Chocolate Chip) (1981) U.S. "M81" Woodland (1981) Australian Disruptive Pattern (1982) TAZ 83 (1983) Dubok (1984) M84 (1984) Type 87 (China) (1987) wz. 89 Puma (1989) Camouflage Daguet (1989) M90 (1990) Desert Night Camouflage (1990) Flecktarn (1990) Tropentarn (1990) Desert Camouflage Pattern (1990) Camouflage Central-Europe (1991) Soldier 2000 (1993) TAZ 90 (1993) wz. 93 Pantera (1993) CADPAT (1997) M98 (1998) Flora (1998) 21st century MARPAT (2001) (Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform (2002)) MultiCam (2002) Tactical Assault Camouflage (2004) Universal Camouflage Pattern (2004) ESTDCU (2006) M05 (2007) Airman Battle Uniform (2007) Type 07 (2007) EMR (2008) Multi-Terrain Pattern (2010) Australian Multicam (2014) HunCam (2015) Operational Camouflage Pattern (2015) Netherlands Fractal Pattern (2019) Xingkong (2019) Technology Deployed Berberys-R Nakidka Prototypes Diffused lighting camouflage (1941) Yehudi lights (1943) Adaptiv (2011)
Related	Dazzled and Deceived Stealth technology Cloaking device Invisibility

• United States Air Force uniforms
• Camouflage patterns
• Air force uniforms
• Military equipment introduced in the 2000s