Flecktarn 
(
German: "pattern
camouflage"; also known as
Flecktarnmuster,
Fleckentarn or simply
Fleck) is a 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-colour disruptive
camouflage pattern. The use of spots creates a "
dithering" effect, which eliminates hard boundaries between the different colours in much the same way the squares in the newest
digital camouflage patterns do. The pattern is designed for use in temperate woodland terrain. It has been adapted as desert camouflage by varying the colours.
In 1976, the
Bundeswehr in
Germany developed a number of prototype camouflage patterns, to be trialled as replacements for the solid olive-grey "moleskin" combat uniform. At least four distinct camouflage patterns were tested during
Bundeswehr Truppenversuch 76 ("Bundeswehr Troop Trial 76"). One was called "Dots" or "Points", and one was called "Ragged Leaf" or "Saw Tooth Edge".
Of the patterns tested, that which is today known as Flecktarn was selected for adoption. The word is a composite formed from the
German words
Fleck (spot, blot, or pattern) and
Tarnung (camouflage). The Bundeswehr kept its green combat dress throughout the 1980s, however. Flecktarn was only widely introduced in 1990, after trials beginning in 1988.
In Germany, the Flecktarn camouflage pattern is used by all Bundeswehr service branches, the
Heer (army), the
Luftwaffe (air force), some
Marine (navy) units and even the
Sanitätsdienst (medical service). It is also used by
snipers of the
Österreichisches Bundesheer (
Federal Army of
Austria) and
Belgian Air Force ground personnel and
airborne infantry.
France tested Flecktarn for use but rejected it; the
Dutch army also tested and rejected it, allegedly because it was "too aggressive". Flecktarn was seen as controversial because of its (vague) resemblance to the
Waffen-SS "peas" and "oak leaves" patterns, which also used dots in various colours.
Flecktarn is the basis for
Bundeswehr Wüstentarn (desert camouflage),
Danish T/78 camouflage and
Danish M/84 camouflage, including a desert variation of the Danish pattern. A variation of the Flecktarn camouflage is also used by the Russian Army and is called "Sever" (Russian for "North") sometimes also referred as Flectar-d, Japan's Type II Camouflage, and is used by the
Chinese military in
Tibet and some police units in
Poland. It is rumoured it even inspired the later
CADPAT (
Canada),
MARPAT (
U.S. Marines) and
ACUPAT (
U.S. Army) patterns.
* POST TO BE IMPROVED / EDITED ASAP 
