Starfleet uniform (mid 2270s)

File:Kirk, Scott and Chekov, 2270s.jpg

USS Enterprise crew members

In the early 2270s, a new Starfleet uniform design was introduced over the previous design, with many different variations. Most were gray, white, brown or beige, and came either in a one-piece jumpsuit or with matching trousers and tops.

These uniforms bore rank insignia on the sleeve or on shoulder tabs. The Enterprise arrowhead emblem was adopted as Starfleet's insignia and was worn on the chest by shipboard personnel and flag officers. Base personnel, like those on Epsilon IX, continued to wear duty badges unique to their assigned base.

Distinctive features of this period included a life-support monitor belt buckle and shoes attached to the trousers. This style of uniform was phased out by 2278.

This was evidenced by the USS Bozeman's crew in TNG: "Cause and Effect".

Department color code

These uniforms indicated department by a colored circle behind the mission patch, according to this color code:

USS Enterprise/Starfleet Command insignia with color codes

• White – command division
• Orange – sciences division, scientific research and technical branches
• Green – sciences division, medical branch
• Red – operations division, engineering and maintenance branches
• Gold – operations division (communications branch), command division (helm and navigation branches)
• Grey – operations division, security and services branches

These uniforms were seen in Star Trek: The Motion Picture only. Parts were recycled into the crew jumpsuits seen in later films and the lab coats of the Regula personnel in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Uniforms

Sonak, in commander's blue-gray service tunic

Service tunic

The service tunic was a two-piece uniform, all one color (either blue-gray or beige), with integrated footwear. The tunic was worn untucked, and had a life-support monitor belt buckle. Rank insignia were worn as sleeve stripes, and an assignment patch showing a division color was attached to the tunic chest.

A variant of this tunic had a high, folded-down, V-neck collar.

Duty jumpsuit

The duty jumpsuit was a one-piece uniform with integrated footwear, all one color (blue-gray or beige for senior personnel, brown or white for enlisted and technicians). Rank was shown by division color epaulet insignia, and an assignment patch (also showing division color) was attached to the chest.

File:James Kirk, duty tunic, 2270s.jpg

James T. Kirk, in a captain's white duty tunic

Duty tunic

The duty tunic was part of a two-piece uniform, a shirt worn in substitution for the more formal service tunic. This tunic featured a V-neck collar, and came in short sleeve variations. Rank was shown by division color epaulet insignia, and an assignment patch (also showing division color) was attached to the tunic chest. The V-neck tunics were available in beige and blue-gray, although some officers wore a white tunic with blue-gray pants.

For use in the medical department, a white duty tunic variant with a folded-down collar was used, with a caduceus in place of the assignment patch.

James T. Kirk, in rear admiral's dress tunic

Dress tunic

The dress uniform tunic for flag officers was a two-piece uniform with dark gray pants and tunic of white and dark gray, with a high collar. Rank was shown by both epaulets and sleeve stripes, and a gold Starfleet Command pin was worn on the chest.

Rear Admiral James T. Kirk wore this type of uniform in his assignment at Starfleet Headquarters on Earth, when he was Chief of Starfleet Operations.

It is not clear if this dress uniform could be worn by lower ranks of officers and enlisted personnel, or if their dress used different gray, beige, or brown color schemes.

Kirk's dress uniform was originally the model intended be worn by all cast members. The director, Robert Wise, wanted a more monochromatic look, resulting in the version seen on screen. The actual color of this uniform is closer to a loden green than a grey, with white accents.

In the alternate reality created by Nero's incursion, by 2258 admirals wore a dress uniform similar to this, while their subordinates used a variation of the "gold/red/blue" style it replaced.

File:Will Decker, excursion jacket.jpg

Will Decker in excursion jacket

Protective uniforms

Security body armor, c 2270s

Body armor

Starship and base security personnel wore body armor complete with helmets. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture)

Thruster suit

See: Thruster suit

Examples of rank insignia

Petty officer epaulet Petty officer	Chief petty officer epaulet Chief petty officer	Ensign and lieutenant junior grade sleeve stripe Ensign	Lieutenant sleeve stripe Lieutenant
Lieutenant commander sleeve stripes Lieutenant commander	Commander sleeve stripes Commander	Captain sleeve stripes Captain	Rear admiral epaulet Rear admiral sleeve stripes. Rear admiral

This chart represents the rank insignia seen on screen throughout these uniforms' appearance. Production notes indicated that the rank of Lieutenant junior grade might not have been in use during this period. Enlisted ranks apparently had no insignia. No commodore, vice admiral, full admiral, or fleet admiral were seen, and any insignia is conjectural.

Background

Robert Fletcher designed the uniforms and insignia seen throughout the movies. The Enterprise insignia and rank system were originally designed by William Ware Theiss.

George Takei stated that this version of the uniform was not comfortable, and that because of the way it was designed it required assistance to be removed – even for minor things such as using the restroom. He stated that the redesigned uniform featured in the rest of the films with the original series cast was brought about because of the cast's reluctance to film any further films with this version of the uniform.