Starfleet uniforms

**Starfleet uniforms** were the standardized clothing worn by individuals who served in the Starfleet of the United Federation of Planets. The uniforms were designed to allow the wearer to fulfill the multiple tasks required of Starfleet personnel and still allow them some feeling of comfort.

The Starfleet Uniform Code was the set of rules and guidelines for the uniforms. The code defined departmental colors and how rank insignia were to be displayed. It also provided for special exceptions regarding an individual's cultural heritage. The code was adapted and evolved as needed due to the ever changing culture and technology of the Federation.

The longest used element of Starfleet uniforms was an athletic wear shirt which bore a truncated name of an officer's assignment. For example, those serving on the USS *Cerritos* were issued shirts with RITOS lettering while those aboard the USS *Bad Wolf* received shirts with BWOLF. The abbreviated name used was typically chosen by a vessel's first commanding officer.

*See also Uniform specifications*

## 24th century specifications

### *2350s*

For many years, the Starfleet departmental colors were gold for Command, blue for Science, and red for Operations. Due to higher mortality rates among the Operations department in the late 23rd and early 24th centuries, the department received a negative stigma. When it was making some organizational changes between departments, Starfleet Command decided to swap the colors of the Command and Operations department to dissolve that stigma. The new uniforms of the 2250s were used to introduce this change.

The new uniforms displayed departmental colors on the chest, back, and sleeves. The shoulders and trousers were black, with departmental colors in piping along the shoulders, collar, and pant cuffs. A version was available with a skirt instead of trousers. Minor variations would be implemented in the uniform over the years and it was not completely phased out of Starfleet use until the early 2370s.

### *2360s*

At the end of the 2360s a new uniform was introduced. The departmental colors were moved to the shoulders, with the rest of the uniform jacket and the trousers in black. A greyish-purple turtleneck was worn under the jacket. This style was first introduced at minor Starfleet posts, but saw more wide-spread use in the early 2370s. However, it was quickly replaced by a similar-style uniform.

### *2370s*

In 2373, Starfleet Command introduced a new uniform fleet-wide. It maintained the same basic style of the previous iteration, but changed the location of the departmental colors. The uniform consisted of a black jacket with gray, quilted shoulders. The department colors were shifted to the turtleneck undershirt and a band on each wrist. This version of the uniform retained the black trousers.

After the close of the Dominion War, Starfleet Command reevaluated its uniform due to the militaristic stigma that grew up around it during the war. By 2380 a new uniform, more in the style of the mid-century, was introduced.

### *2380s*

A new duty uniform was put into service just a few years later. The design was heavily based upon the uniform of the late 2360s, with black trousers and a black top and the departmental color on the shoulders. The main differences were the lack of an undershirt and the color on the shoulders was angled to end lower on the arms. There was also a bar of black, and gold for flag officers, bisecting the shoulder color and a band of the departmental color angled on the wrists.

### *2390s*

By mid-2390, Starfleet had again released a new duty uniform. This iteration borrowed generously from the uniform introduced in the late 2360s. It consisted of a black top with the departmental colors on the shoulders and collar. The top was paired with a black turtleneck undershirt and a pair of black trousers.

## 25th century specifications

### *2400s*

At the beginning of the 25th century, Starfleet adopted another uniform that continued to have the department color on the shoulders, but included a chest flap and moved the rank insignia to the collar once more. Division color piping was present on the trousers, with those in special services wearing gray as their division color. The undershirt was black, with a thin band of division color crossing the chest under the shoulders. A field jacket variant was available in faux leather, with muted division colors.

Shortly thereafter, the admiralty moved to a more utilitarian uniform with the project name "Sierra." The uniform style offered five jacket variations, with a special coat for those of admiral rank and above. Two other styles, designated "Antares" and "Jupiter," and their jacket variations were also put into use during this time period.

### *2410s*

To "remain a force for consistency and stability," Starfleet Command officially adopted a standardized uniform, designated "Odyssey," in 2410. The divisional colors were: red for command and tactical; gold for operations, engineering, and materiel supply; teal for sciences; violet for Starfleet Intelligence; and navy for MACO. A specialized excursion uniform was also developed that could protect its wearers from extreme temperatures, chemicals, and fire. It also incorporated Chameleon nano fibers that provided active camouflage.

## Appendices

### Connections

**Leadership:** Commander-in-chief • Joint Chiefs • Chief of Starfleet External Affairs • Chief of Starfleet Operations • Chief of Starfleet Research and Exploration • Chief of Starfleet Tactical

**Agencies:** Operations (Engineering • Judicial • Materiel Supply • Mission Operations • Personnel Management • Records Service • Shipyards Operations • Starbase Operations) • Research & Exploration (Science • Medical) • External Affairs • Tactical (Intelligence • Security • MACO)

**Notable units:** Ktarn Fleet • Task Force 77

**Facilities:** Deep Space K-7 • Deep Space K-13 • Deep Space 9 • Masamichi Array • Starbase 45-Keepsake • Starbase 82-Maat • Starbase 234-Beskerm • Starbase 247-Vershina

### Sources consulted

* Starfleet uniform article at *Memory Alpha*.
* Starfleet uniform article at *Memory Beta*.
* Uniform article at the *Star Trek Online Wiki*.
* Starfleet Uniform Code: Revision 120.2C.
* Fleet Uniform Code post at 38th Fleet Argo.

### Footnotes

1. ↑ *Star Trek Adventures* core rulebook, p. 62.
2. ↑ Starfleet Uniform Code: Revision 120.2C; page 1.