Operational History

The OZK or chemical protective suit was developed by the Soviet Army in the late-1950's to replace both the SK-01 field protective suit and the Zashitnaya Nakidka that had been used during the Great Patriotic War.  It is constructed from an impermeable rubberized fabric that offered much more protection and durability than the Zashitnaya Nakidka, and was much easier to don than the one-piece SK-1.  This fact was increasingly important in light of the development of persistent V-series nerve agents in the mid-1950’s.  Unlike the SK-1, which was worn only by specialized chemical troops, the OZK was designed to be worn by all troops.  In this capacity, it served alongside the L-1 chemical suit used by reconnaissance troops for the duration of the Cold War.

Determining an exact date of introduction is difficult.  The earliest reference to the suit is found in the 1962 “Radioactive substances, bacterial agents and protection from them” manual.  It is not referenced in any Soviet military publication from 1955-56 dealing with NBC matters.  This, of course, indicates that the OZK entered service sometime between 1957 and 1962.

The OZK became the most commonly photographed chemical protective suit of the Cold War era.  It was seen in use by Soviet forces during Warsaw Pact exercises in East Germany, inside the Soviet Union, and on a few occasions in during the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.⁹  The suit was used by both the armed forces and by civil defense groups well into the 1980’s. ^6,10  Following the breakup of the Soviet Union the OZK continued to see service with the armies of many of the former Soviet republics.  As of 2006 the OZK was still in active service as the most common form of protective clothing in the Russian army.

Apart from its protective use, the OP-1 coat can be used also as a raincoat, groundsheet, field shelter, floatation bag, and even as an emergency carrier for casualties.  The coat is not completely airtight and for more complete protection wearers must first don ZFO-58 chemically treated coveralls.^7,8  The OP-1 coat ranges in color from orange to pale green and weighs 1.6 kilograms.

The gloves of the OZK are designed to be worn over gloves provided with the standard field protective mask set.  They come in two versions: a temperate climate version with five fingers, and a cold weather version with two fingers and a thermal lining.  The gloves weigh .4 kilograms.

Tactical Use and Limitations

The OZK was a significant improvement over the previous chemical protective gear.  The earlier SK-1 protective coverall was only issued to chemical forces troops and was difficult to don rapidly.  The Zashitnaya Nakidka which was issued to the bulk of the ground forces troops was little more than a pair of rubberized overboots and a protective cape made of treated paper or light fabric.  It offered little lasting protection, but was very easy to don rapidly.  The OZK offered the advantage of increased protection along the lines of the SK-1 with the ease of wear that the Zashitnaya Nakidka possessed.

Because the suit is impermeable and is difficult to use in warm environments the wearers were required to wear different undergarments.  In warm temperatures over +30 C the user would wear only shorts and an undershirt.

When compared to Western suits the impermeable nature of the OZK makes it somewhat uncomfortable, but the suit manages to provide very good protection against all chemical and biological agents in a rather simple manner.  Like most chemical protective suits, the OZK provides no protection from gamma radiation, but it does block alpha and beta particles from touching the wearer.

Service Chronology

Since its introduction in the early 60's the OZK chemical protective suit has been one of the most widely produced chemical defense overgarments in the world.  It has had a long service life and can still be found in service with former Soviet republics today.  The oversuit replaced both the SK-1 protective coverall that was issued to chemical forces, as well as the Zashitnaya Nakidka that was issued to regular troops in areas threatened by chemical attack.^1,2   In doing so, the OZK was able to give improved protection to all personnel.

It is unclear when the suit entered service.  It does not appear in Soviet army NBC defense publications written in 1955-56.  The Zashitnaya Nakidka also appears in a 1959 reprint of the 1955 edition of “Memo to the soldier and sailor, actions in the conditions of use of atomic, chemical and bacteriological weapons.”⁴  A manual directed towards NBC equipment testing and repair from 1959 called “Руководство по ремонту средств противохимической защиты и приборов [Repair guide for chemical protective equipment and devices]” provides only reference to the older SK-1 coverall and the two-piece SK-1 suit.¹²  The OZK first appears in the 1962 edition of “Radioactive substances, bacterial agents and protection from them.”⁵  This fact implies that the OZK entered service between 1959 and 1962.  From this point the OZK appears frequently in Soviet military publications until the end of the Cold War.^6,7

The early model suits are referred to simply as OZK suits.  This is true well into 1971 where the “training manual on the preparation of units to protect against nuclear, chemical, bacteriological weapons and incendiary means” continues to use that designation.¹³  By 1989 references to the suit change and designate it the OZK-M.  It is unclear when the suit designation changed or what modifications were made to it.  A 1975 Soviet NBC training poster entitled "Use of the Combined Protective Coverall" shows the differences between the OP-1 and the OP-1M protective capes.¹⁵  This indicates at least one change from the original issued set.

Russian Federation military documentation in the late 2000’s the protective garment was in the process of being replaced by the newer OZK-F.³  To learn more about these uniforms click the links below.

Sources Cited

(1) Azareev, S. I. and N. A. Balashov, боевая служба красноармейца-химика [Military Service of the Red Army Chemist], Moscow: Military Publishing NKO, 1941.

(2) Pankov, G and B Predtechenskii, пособие санитарно-химической защите [Manual for Sanitary-Chemical Protection], Moscow: Medgiz, 1940.

(3) “Slavyanskaya Sewing Factory” Slavyanskaya Sewing Factory. Accessed June 11, 2014. http://www.slavyanca.ru/

(4) памятка солдату и матросу, действия в условиях применения атомого, химического и бактериологического оружия [Memo to the soldier and sailor, actions in the conditions of use of atomic, chemical and bacteriological weapons], Moscow, Ministry of Defense Military Publishing House, 1955.

(5) радиоактивные и отрабляющие вещества, бактериалые средства и защита от них [Radioactive substances, bacterial agents and protection from them], edited by B. T. Emelyanova, Moscow:  Military Publishing House, 1962.

(6) Гражданская оборона  [Civil Defense]. Edited by A. T. Altynina, Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1982.

(7)  Jane’s NBC Protection Equipment 1995-1996, edited by Terry J Gander, Alexandria, VA: Jane’s Publishing Group, 1995.

(8) Jane’s NBC Protection Equipment 1988-1989, edited by Terry J Gander, Alexandria, VA: Jane’s Publishing Group, 1988.

(9) Zaloga, Steven J., Inside the Soviet Army Today, Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 1987.

(10) Руководство, по эксплуатации средств индивидуальной защиты, часть II [Manual, use of personal protective equipment part II], Edited by A. P. Volkov, Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1988.

(12) Руководство по ремонту средств противохимической защиты и приборов [Repair guide for chemical protective equipment and devices], Edited by V. V. Golovanova, Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1959.

(13) учебно-методическое пособие по подготовке подразделений к защите от ядерного, химического, бактериологического оружия и зажигательнух средств [training manual on the preparation of units to protect against nuclear, chemical, bacteriological weapons and incendiary means], Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1971.

(14) TM 30-430: Handbook on U.S.S.R Military Forces, Washington D.C: War Department, 1945.

(15) "пользование общевойсковой защитный комплект" [Use of the Combined Protective Coverall], Moscow: Military Publishing House, 1975.

Last Updated 2 January 2019 by Ryan Stavka