Jacket, Combat, Lightweight, Desert DPM
General Information
Name: Jacket, Combat, Tropical, Desert DPM.
Country of Origin: The United Kingdom.
Camouflage Pattern: Desert Disruptive Pattern Material (DDPM).
Uniform Family: No. 5 Desert Combat Dress.
Number Of Pockets: Three.
Windproof: No.
For more specific details such as date of production, manufacturer, stock number, contract number, size, and weight, see individual examples.
Similar Objects
History
The Jacket, Combat, Desert (Shirt) was first introduced in the mid-1980s with a four-color Desert DPM (DDPM) pattern and had a cut similar to that of the Jacket, Combat Tropical. However, it was not widely used by the UK at the time.
Initially, the Jacket was produced using the same polyester and cotton blended fabric as the Jacket, Combat Tropical. By the start of the Gulf War in 1990, the fabric was changed to 100% Egyptian cotton, which was better suited for desert environments.
Due to the UK having sold a large quantity of four-color DDPM uniforms to Iraq some years earlier and making the pattern available to other Middle Eastern countries, the UK produced a new two-color desert DPM pattern to limit confusion between them and these Middle Eastern countries.
While the Shirt was produced in various Desert DPM patterns over its lifetime, the overall design remained unchanged until the introduction of the 94/95-Pattern clothing system.
Description
The shirt features a double-ply collar that can be worn folded down or pulled up around the neck, secured with a single button at the front. Both shoulders have button-down loops.
It closes at the front with a full-length zipper and an exterior button-over storm cover. On the interior, the zipper is covered by a storm flap that folds over it but is not secured.
The shirt has loose-fitting, naturally hanging sleeves with basic cuffs that secure around the wrists with button-down fabric tabs, offering two points of adjustment.
There are three pockets: two large, angled bellows chest pockets with button-down flaps, and a small square bellows pocket with a button-down flap on the upper right sleeve, designed to hold a Field Dressing. The upper left sleeve features five angled pen channels.
Examples
Example One
Example one was produced in 1990 by an unidentified manufacturer and was an early style produced for the Gulf War.
National Stock Number (NSN): Yet to be identified.
Contract Number: Yet to be identified.
Size: 180/96.
Height- 180cm.
Chest- 96cm.
NATO Size- 7080/8696.
Volume Capacity: 2.6L.
Top pockets- 1.2L each.
Upper arm pocket- 200mls.
Weight: 600g.
Object Number: 8720-826-37116.
Example Two
Example two was produced in 1991 by J. Compton Sons & Webb LTD and is now called the Jacket, Combat, Lightweight, Desert DPM. It is a later style made for the Gulf War, featuring a large open (sparse) desert DPM pattern.
National Stock Number (NSN): 8405-99-978-6904.
Contract Number: SL34b/0030.
Size: 180/104.
Height- 180cm.
Chest- 104cm.
NATO Size- 7080/9604.
Volume Capacity: 2.6L.
Top pockets- 1.2L each.
Upper arm pocket- 200mls.
Weight: 600g.
Object Number: 8730-826-37124.
