Irish DPM

In March 2000, the Irish Defense Force adopted a new camo pattern to separate itself from the Olive Green fatigues worn prior because nothing screams third-world country quite like not having your own camo pattern.

Unrelated to its British counterpart and sometimes mistaken for France’s CCE, the Irish DPM (Disruptive Pattern Material), also known as Paddyflage, features a four-color pattern (an impressive upgrade from the single-color uniform it replaced, by a whole three colors.) This woodland-style camo was designed specifically for Ireland’s grasslands, forests, and rugged terrain.

Paddyflage has seen use under the UN’s peacekeeping missions in places like Mali (MINUSMA) and Lebanon (UNIFIL), then in 2007, a Desert variant of Paddyflage was introduced for operations in Afghanistan (ISAF) and Chad (MINURCAT).

Generally, the Irish Defense Force requires all soldiers to return their uniforms after service. However, enforcing this policy has proven difficult to police. The rule exists due to certain groups of individuals who will remain unnamed (cough IRA cough cough), impersonating soldiers by wearing Defense Force Uniforms and setting up fake checkpoints to kidnap drivers.

(Southern Air Trade would like to clarify that the Irish DPM we sell on our site comes from an American private seller. We are unaware of the item's prior ownership and export history.)

In short, Irish DPM, while still in use, is a unique piece of military surplus history. Its rarity and difficulty to obtain, make it one of the most sought-after modern camo patterns. This may change, however, as the Irish transition out of the DPM and into a Multicam style uniform… because of course they are.