UAE National Guard M23 Camo Pattern

At the recent IDEX and NAVDEX expos in Abu Dhabi I had the chance to photograph the new UAE National Guard M23 digital camo pattern, reports Bob Morrison.

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“At the end of 2022, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, issued Federal Law Decree No. 59 to form a distinguished security command under the name ‘National Guard’ that is directly affiliated with the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and is linked organisationally, to the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces. Through the operational link of the National Guard with the Ministry of Interior and the National Emergency Crisis and Disaster Management Authority , the National Guard will strengthen the security system in the United Arab Emirates as a diverse, flexible and highly skilled force with the ability to intervene early accurately, flexibly and decisively, and maintain security of the land and maritime borders of the country, as well as law enforcement and support civil authorities to enhance internal security and perform reconnaissance, search and rescue operations and national ambulance within the comprehensive perspective of national security.” Source, UAE NGC.

Although at the time of my 2023 visit to Abu Dhabi the United Arab Emirates National Guard Command (UAE NGC) had been formed, incorporating the CICPA (Critical Infrastructure and Coastal Protection Authority) and other Emirates border security assets, its personnel were still wearing either a four-colour camo pattern derived from USMC Desert MARPAT or plain tan uniforms. In November 2023 personnel from 4 Coastal Guard Squadron of the National Guard were photographed wearing UAE M16 Desert Digital Pattern (see below) during an inspection visit and at the beginning of this month, during Ramadan, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum visited Border Guards of the National Guard who were wearing plain tan combats. However at IDEX 2025 all UAE NGC personnel I spotted were wearing the new M23 pattern uniforms.

At first glance, when seen from a distance UAE NGC M23 pattern appears to be a four-colour camouflage but close inspection reveals that only a single grey shade is printed on the very pale sandy grey base fabric, with the optical illusion of there being more than two colours being created by the amount of base colour surrounding the individual hexagonal shapes. These hexagons, which are in three distinct sizes, are both regular and linear as well as being arranged to give a horizontal pattern effect. The hexagons are printed on a ripstop fabric almost exactly parallel to the cloth’s horizontal axis.

My thanks to the National Guard officers who kindly allowed me to photograph their uniforms and insignia for this brief Kit & Camo feature. My images were captured indoors but with a fair bit of additional natural light.

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