Hungarian 2015M is a seven-colour camouflage pattern, introduced from 2016, which is partially influenced by Crye MultiCam but is not a copy, writes Bob Morrison.
~
In the past I have previously photographed Hungarian troops on both UN deployment and NATO exercise, but the former were Peacekeepers in Cyprus wearing 2004M Desert Pattern and the latter were Special Forces wearing Crye MultiCam. However at the recent MSPO 2023 defence and security expo in Poland I spotted a Hungarian Army Captain wearing 2016M and when asked he kindly agreed to allow me to photograph his uniform for K&C.
Prior to the 1991 dissolution of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact, Hungarian troops issued camouflage uniforms mostly wore a three-colour brown, green and tan 1980s variation of post-WWII design with a combination of hard and spattered edges to the shapes. Around 1994 a new four-colour brown, green, black and tan ‘Central European’ camo pattern, which also had a combination of hard and spattered edges was introduced as the country prepared for to join NATO; it attained membership in 1999. A new pattern clearly influenced by MultiCam was designed in 2015 and first operationally deployed in Afghanistan the following year.
The Hungarian 2015M pattern uses five graded earthy shades, from a light stone through to a coffee brown, plus a bottle green in addition to a very dark chocolate brown for depth. As some of the colour shapes are overlaid with the darker colour being faintly visible through the lighter shade, on larger uninterrupted areas it can look like there are even more colours/shades than seven. Although some of the colour shapes have a fine-sprayed effect, the degree of blending between different colours does not appear to be quite as subtle as the MultiCam production process.
Regrettably I was unable to photograph the Hungarian captain alongside another soldier wearing Genuine MultiCam uniform, so although I suspect the two patterns will be compatible I cannot confirm this. Additionally, as I have not seen or photographed Hungarian 2015M pattern in rural or rubble-strewn urban settings I cannot pass comment on its efficacy for combat zone environments; though I doubt there will be much difference between the two patterns once dust and grime are introduced to the equation.
[images © Bob Morrison ]
~
