Over the years, the OPFOR (Opposing Forces), units which portray enemy forces, have worn a variety of uniforms. For example, there’s this classic look from the 50s and 60s, when the OPFOR were referred to as Circle Trigon forces.
The modified helmet liners were available to units through their local Training Aids Support Center.
At other times, permanent units at the National Training Center and Joint Readiness Training Center have worn various solid color and camouflague pattern uniforms, based on the types of adversarries they’ve depicted at the time. Below you can see the JRTC uniform.
FORT POLK, LA — The colors of Easy Company are uncased at BRDM Field to activate a forward support company of the 1-509 Infantry. Lt. Col. Matthew Tackett and Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Young perform the solemn duties. Photo by Raymond Barnard, Operations Group, Joint Readiness Training Center. (Photo Credit: Raymond Barnard, Operations Group, Joint Readiness Training Center)
At NTC both Tan and 3-color Desert uniforms have been worn.
Although they wore Black BDUs for many years, currently, the OPFOR in Germany at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center are wearing All Terrain Tiger pattern from Tiger Stripe Products.
Soldiers return fire while conducting a town defense scenario during Saber Junction 17 at the Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, May 15, 2017. Saber Junction 17 is the U.S. Army Europe’s 2nd Cavalry Regiment’s combat training center certification exercise. It includes nearly 4,500 participants from 13 NATO and European partner nations. (US Army photo by SPC Gage Hull)
What uniforms do you remember, and what was your favorite?
Spent years shooting blanks (heh) at guys wearing these:
http://camouniform.militaryblog.jp/e382641.html
Inside-out BDU’s were always my favorite.
This.
…
Also:
“The Circle Trigon look like some classy badguys.
I wonder what its like to have classy badguys.”
– GWOT generation
Hey, I didn’t join Donovian Special Forces just to die in Atropia wearing inside out uniforms…
Got to say those ACUs look so damn much better in solid than the abomination that is UCP.
Ha ha! I remember watching an episode (re-run) of ‘My Three Sons’ where the oldest son was doing some military (ROTC?) training,and the OPFOR was wearing those wacky helmets! I always wondered if that was just for the show, and now I know! Thanks, SSD!
Man Jammies
BDU bottoms with a white t shirt
JRTC ODs (with relaxed grooming standards 🙂
I remember a story years ago in ‘Soldier of Fortune’ about a Texas NG unit that got their hands on a bunch of the Czech “clown camo” uniforms and they used those for OPFOR. That was pretty cool.
I wonder if any / many units used those “Red Dawn” camo suits for OPFOR back in the ’80’s?
I remember that too. Interestingly, the guy behind that is Gordon L Rottman who has done bunches of Osprey books.
Somewhere in storage I’ve got a SASS smock in Soviet-style digicam.
Gordon Rottman? Holy crap, small world!
When you say “Soviet-style digicam”, do you mean the old jagged ‘sunspots/birch leaves’ KMLK pattern? On an SASS smock???
“Holy Mother of all Unicorns Batman!”
Yes, that’s the stuff
Geronimo’s solid OD ACU’s! I’m biased though. I’m currently an OCT in OPS GROUP.
I was always fan of OPFOR uniforms. I have contract solid OD BDU and OPFOR patched Tigerstripes BDUs. Cool stugg 🙂 Does anybody know if those All-Terrain Tiger sets were officially contracted or those are just the Tru-Specs COTS uniforms?
Back in 2002-2003, the CMTC OPFOR Scouts were wearing Tiger Stripe Products JWD BDUs so I would assume that they probably went with COTs uniforms.
Liked the 6 color desert at NTC when doing the OPFOR Augmentation rotations, worked great out there. Liked the grey ECWCS the NTC guys were issued also. One of the few items I was never able to get a hold of.
I did a OPFOR augment for the air assault element in Dec95, we got the 6 color deserts too. Our commander pisses off the OPFOR commander so we did little flying and lots of walking, to include a 9 mile night movement carrying TOWs. Lots of rolled ankles that night. And needless to say we didn’t get to keep anything, but the OPFOR guys sure knew how to bbq between missions!
What you just said sounds very familiar, almost positive I was there.
Alfa 1/24, and you?
Yep, A co. 25th ID out of Lewis at the time.
No shit! What platoon? I was 1st
3rd Plt, small world
Just checked out your website, I seem to remember watching the north Hollywood bank robbery live in your room and catching a few gun shows with you. You sent me a galco drop holster right after I ETSed!
I know who I’m talking to now. Shoot me an email with your contact info mike@octactical.com
All Terrain Tiger pattern?!?! I need those in my collection….
It’s still out there, the BDU cuts are surprisingly affordable. Look around! I’ve gotten a set recently, I love it.
PredatorBDU has them on sale
Cool…thanks.
No problem
Centrilian Revolution Forces wore a mix of tri color desert and choc chip cammies. I think I have spent more time in those than the greens.
Why has no one brought up the fact that the last picture has a 240 with a grip pod on the side of it?
Cuz its an OPFOR thing – you wouldn’t understand.
it actually works pretty good for carrying and while firing belt feds while slung for suppressive reasons.
Not unusual at all
its all about some salomons and hiking pants under the man jammies and a Rhodesian style CR
I was an OPFOR augment for one rotation at the NTC in July of 1991. They used a lot of really cool “VISMOD” vehicles meant to resemble Soviet tanks and BMPs. We wore a modified version of the permanent press OG 507 uniforms with their own special rank, branch of service, etc. We wore black berets with a red star in a circle and brass u.s. rank next to it. I think we were part of the 60th Guards regiment or something along those lines. I was able to witness a full brigade force on force armor battle from a high hilltop after our vehicle was hit about five minutes into an all day battle which was pretty amazing.
Fast forward to 2009, I returned to the NTC as an OC for a CA company who was deploying with the 4th BDE of the 1st ID on their way to Iraq as an advise and assist brigade. It stood in pretty stark contrast to the 1991 experience.
Yup, that’s what I wore when I was stationed there; the permanent press OG 507 shirt with our OPFOR, fake Soviet rank and badges with the black beret with the red star on it. The gray gore-tex suit was pretty cool too. I’ve still got the uniform accoutrements around here somewhere . . .
C 1-128 Infantry for that rotation?
Chocolate chip desert cammies with the solid grey/green gortex top
OD green BDU’S and floppy hats, JRTC, 1-509, 2002, Stryker brigade certification exercise. Mortars are a lot easier to move if you have a golf cart.
80’s to early 90’s
Jungle fatigues
Green Trou, Wool Field Shirt (Winter)
NBC Suit worn inside out (Winter)
Reversed BDU’s over jeans
No Helmet Covers
Okay – I have to be “That Guy”.
This: https://soldiersystems.net/2015/03/20/pencott-camouflage-shows-house-cards/
JRTC circa 1990. OPFOR OD jungle fatigues, shoulder boards with OPFOR jumpwings and black beret woith red star.
In the Guard it varied from year to year depending on who was in charge.
Solid blacks with OD patches and name tapes.
Six color desert tops, woodland pants.
Tiger stripes with OD patches and name tapes.
Old green 2 pocket tops with Russian nametapes,woodland pants.
Surplus class B khaki tops and pants.