| Airman Battle Uniform | |
|---|---|
 Acaptain of theUnited States Air Force wearing the Airman Battle Uniform | |
| Type | Military camouflage patterned uniform |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 2007–2021 (USAF/USSF)[a] 2016–present (Civil Air Patrol) |
| Used by |
|
| Wars | Global War on Terrorism Russian Invasion of Ukraine |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 2003–2006 |
| Produced | 2006–present |
| Variants | Airman Battle Shirt (ABS) Airman Battle System-Ground (ABS-G) |
TheAirman Battle Uniform (ABU) is a U.S.camouflagecombat uniform formerly worn by members of theUnited States Air Force,United States Space Force, and some civilian employees of theU.S. Department of the Air Force until April 2021. It replaced theBattle Dress Uniform andDesert Camouflage Uniform on 1 November 2011 after a four-year phase-in period.[2]
On 14 May 2018, The U.S. Air Force announced that all airmen will transition from the Airman Battle Uniform to theOCPUniform. All airmen have been permitted to wear the OCP Uniform since 1 October 2018, and the wear out date for the ABU was 1 April 2021.[3] The ABU is currently worn by theCivil Air Patrol.[4]
The first prototype of the ABU was unveiled in the summer of 2003. The early uniform prototypes consisted of trousers, an embroidered undershirt, and a blouse. The prototype camouflage pattern was a blue/gray,tiger stripe pattern, based upon the tigerstripe uniforms worn by airmen during theVietnam War.
After months of wear testing, Air Force officials revised the color scheme and camouflage pattern due to feedback received from airmen. The new semi-pixelated tiger-stripe pattern would trade its dominant blue overtones for a more subdued palette, similar to theUniversal Camouflage Pattern, but with some added slate blue tones.[5] The uniform maintains a similar cut to the previousBattle Dress Uniform, rather than the contemporaryArmy Combat Uniform.[citation needed] The fabric was made in 50-50 nylon and cotton in order to reduce the need for summer/winter-type uniforms.[6]
On 2 October 2007, the Air Force began issuing the ABU to enlisted trainees inBasic Military Training atLackland Air Force Base, was issued to the Class of 2012 at theUnited States Air Force Academy on 26 June 2008, and was made available for all airmen. Since September 2007, it had been issued to airmen deploying to locations in theCENTCOM area of responsibility.
Starting in 2009, airmen who were in ground combat roles, such asSecurity Forces, were issued the new Airman Battle Shirt (ABS). The ABS was based on theArmy Combat Shirt (ACS). Like the ACS, the ABS is a stand-alone shirt designed specifically for use withImproved Outer Tactical Vest armor in warm and hot weather. It is intended to greatly increase user comfort through the use of lightweight, moisture-wicking, and breathable fabrics. The ABS features the same tiger stripe pattern on the sleeves.[7]
In 2010, theOperation Enduring Freedom PatternArmy Combat Uniform was authorized to replace the Airman Battle Uniform for airmen in the War in Afghanistan.[8]
In June 2011, The Air Force Times released the announcement of a summer weight ABU to be available in 2012. The Improved Airman Battle Uniform will be made of a 50–50 nylon-cotton blend and was composed of the same material used by the Army for the ACU. Just like the ABU, the IABU is machine washable and also wrinkle resistant. Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Norton A. Schwartz gave approval of the IABU coat and pants which will be available to trainees at Basic Military Training first.[9]
The ABU was fully phased in on 1 October 2011, completely replacing theBDU andDCU[10] though most airmen had been wearing the ABU for several years by that point.
The Air Force's civilian auxiliary,Civil Air Patrol, wear-tested the ABU in late 2015, and in May 2016, the national commander of the Civil Air Patrol issued a memorandum allowing the wear of the ABU effective 15 June 2016. However, the uniform is worn with dark blue background and light silver lettering name and branch tapes and black boots in order to distinguish CAP personnel.[11]
All airmen have been authorized to wear the Operational Camouflage Pattern instead of ABUs since 1 October 2018. Recruits in basic training and cadets in Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, andOfficer Training School started being issued OCPs on 1 October 2019. The Airman Battle Uniform was no longer authorized to wear after 1 April 2021.[3][12]
From 2019 to 2021, the ABU was authorized for wear, alongside theOperational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) uniform, byUnited States Space Force (USSF) personnel. USSF personnel replaced the "U.S. AIR FORCE" nametape with a "U.S. SPACE FORCE" nametape, retaining the nametape’s ABU-pattern, "midnight blue" block lettering, and position over the left breast pocket. All other aspects of the uniform remained identical to USAF wear. While OCPs were authorized for wear from the 2019 establishment of the USSF, the USAF ABU wear-out date was not until 2021; as such, USSF personnel were permitted to wear the ABU until the official USAF wear-out date.[1]
A limited number ofUkrainian Armed Forces personnel have been photographed wearing the ABU during the2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.[13][14][15]
The Airman Battle Uniform is similar to theUniversal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) in color, with the inclusion of slate blue, but is otherwise nearly identical to the BDU cut. The ABU was worn with sage greencombat boots. The ABU does have essential NIR (near-infra red) qualities, and the sleeves are authorized to be rolled up.[16]
Overview of the Airman Battle Uniform was as follows:[17]
Backpacks and other accessories must be sage, black, or ABU pattern.
Dominican Republic: Worn byDominican Air Force.[18]
Egypt: Worn byEgyptian Air Force andEgyptian Air Defense Forces[citation needed]
Ukraine: In limited service[19]
United States:
United States Air Force: Former standard camouflage uniform of US Airmen from 2007 to 2021. It is still authorized for wear by members of the Civil Air Patrol, the official civilian auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, as of 2021.[20][21]
United States Space Force: Worn from 2019 to 2021.[1]
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