Uniforms

Overview

As with much of the world, the Swiss Army traditionally issued troops with a brightly coloured, stylised uniform made from heavy wool. These uniforms were used for parades, in barracks, and in the field. From the turn of the 20th Century onwards, however, uniforms began to specialise for individual purposes, and the Swiss were no exception to this. The first grey uniform was the Ord. 14 [1], which, with the subsequent Ord. 14/17 revision, became widespread during the First World War. It was itself superseded by Ord. 26, which was the primary uniform issued during the Second World War. At this point, militiamen were typically issued with a single tunic and two pairs of trousers, one of which would be kept nice to use as walking-out dress while the other was used in the field. However, with the introduction of the Ord. 49 woollen uniform, there began to be a divergence in orders of dress. Ord. 49 had originally been designed as a universal uniform, equally suitable for the field as the parade square, but with its open collar and tie, it was better-equipped for use as a smart walking-out uniform, while many militiamen had older Ord. 40 tunics for use as a service uniform or in the field (either with or without insignia). Nonetheless, uniforms remained personal equipment, which militiamen were issued when entering the army and took home with them to keep. 

The introduction of the M61 Kampfanzug [combat uniform] as one of the many modernisations of the Swiss Army with TO61 brought a further category: the combat uniform. These uniforms were Korpsmaterial, equipment that was retained by the army and issued out collectively to units as and when needed for mobilisation. These heavy, durable, camouflaged uniforms were originally only issued to the infantry of the Auszug, but would be widespread by the end of the 1960s. The distinctive, red-dominant camouflage uniforms would become an icon of the Swiss Army in the Cold War, an association reinforced by the introduction of the modernised M70 KafAz. The early 70s also saw new specialised uniforms for mountain troops and vehicle crews, and a new service uniform. Ord. 72 saw simplification of the design of the wool trousers, along with a more comfortable lining in the tunics, with a recognition that the uniform was solely for barrack wear and not the field. Walking-out dress, too, was updated, with a simpler, thinner belt (worn purely for aesthetics) and more comfortable gaberdine caps and trousers. In 1983, another camouflage uniform was introduced, intended to be used as a service and field uniform for non-frontline troops who didn't need the bulk of the KafAz. The Tarnanzug 83 [camouflage uniform 83] was still, as with the KafAz, considered Korpsmaterial, though, and was not taken home. 

In the 1990s, things were further simplified - all existing field uniforms were replaced with a lightweight camouflage uniform, TAZ 90. Orders of dress were streamlined to a simple, three-level system: Tenü A for walking-out uniform, Tenü B for service/barrack uniform, and Tenü C for field uniform. For the first time, camouflage uniforms were issued as personal equipment, and became the primary uniform troops would wear for both service and field usage, changing only the headgear (berets and caps, respectively). Ord. 72 wool uniforms were slowly phased out, and the subsequent Ord. 95 uniform was modelled more on a business suit than a practical field uniform. Ord. 95, unpopular for its uncomfortable fabric and perceived unprofessional look, was itself mostly retired in 2024, with TAZ 90 being used for walking-out and barrack wear instead. 

[1] Ord., short for 'Ordonnanz' refers to an edict issued by the Federal Council to establish the requirements and regulations for a given pattern of military equipment. These ordinances would be circulated to the thousands of various small-scale factories and workshops which supplied the Swiss Army, and would come into force at the end of the year in which they were issued. Equipment manufactured to previous specifications would, however, typically remain in use until worn out, and soldiers who had previously been issued old uniforms would not usually receive a replacement when a new ordinance came into force. 

List of Uniforms

Some uniforms are covered in-depth on their own pages. Click the links to see more.

Wool Uniforms:

• Ord. 14

• Ord. 14/17

• Ord. 26

• Ord. 40

• Ord. 40/49

• Ord. 49

• Ord. 72

• Ord. 72/90

• Ord. 95

Camouflage Uniforms:

• M61 Kampfanzug

• M70 Kampfanzug

• M73 Panzerkombination

• M74 Kampfanzug für Gebirgstruppen

• TAZ 83

• TAZ 90

Specialist Uniforms:

• Tenü Blau, a heavy denim over-uniform to be used when doing dirty tasks, such as cleaning weapons or maintaining vehicles.

• Ex-Tenü, obsolete wool uniforms converted into hard-wearing and expendable field kit, mainly used in Recruit Schools. 

• Ausgangsanzug, the tailored walking-out uniforms made for officers.

Orders of Dress

The regulations on orders of dress, as of 1980, are available to download in The Repository. In short, however, the uniforms of the Swiss Army were divided into three main categories:

• Ausgangsanzug. A smart uniform (worn with dress shoes rather than boots) for use on the parade ground and at special occasions, with orders from the Commanding Officer.

• Dienstanzug. A smart and semi-formal uniform for wearing when travelling to and from military bases for training/inventories/refresher courses/etc., or while in barracks. This would be personal equipment, issued to the militiaman to keep at home.

• Kampfanzug. The combat uniform.