The NWU Type II, which has a primarily tan and brown camouflage pattern called AOR1, is designed to be worn in sandy and arid desert battlefield environments, while the NWU Type III, which has primarily green, brown, and black pattern called AOR2, is designed to be worn in more temperate environments such as the contiguous United States.

As a standing professional military force, the U.S. Navy has three main categories of uniforms for its members to wear, referred to as dress, service, and working.

Dress uniforms are elaborate, designed to be worn during formal occasions of prestige and state, in that regard, they are roughly similar to a civilian tuxedo or a three-piece suit.

Working uniforms are more durable and utilitarian, designed for use in battle and environments where other more formal clothing would be impracticable and might get unduly damaged or dirtied.

[5] The pixelated pattern was advertised as ostensibly being able to hide wear and stains, something unavoidable with the utilities and working khakis used previously.

[6] The uniform is primarily composed of a ripstop 50/50 nylon and cotton blend, which eliminates the need for a "starch and press" appearance and reduces the possibility of snags and tears from sharp objects (thus making the garment last longer).

However, this blend combines high flammability with the strength to hold onto the sailor's body while burning, which is why the NWU is no longer authorized aboard ships.

The NWU Type III has its rank insignia in the form of a slip-on piece of fabric displayed on the chest between the breast pockets.

More than a year after the Task Force Uniform initiative was created, early versions of the NWU, still in its prototype stage, were publicly unveiled before a crowd of sailors for the first time on 18 October 2004 aboard USS Iwo Jima, by Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy Terry D.

[14] Overall, the NWU prototypes that were showcased in late 2004 and early 2005 were similar to the BDU and DCU uniforms used by the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force at the time.

One variant, known by the developmental moniker of NWU-C, used a more traditional blob-like "analog" camouflage pattern that was essentially a blue, black, and gray version of the US Woodland.

[17] In early 2006, the U.S. Navy's Chief of Naval Operations, Michael G. Mullen, selected the pixelated blue camouflage pattern with pointed blouse collars and an eight-point cover to become the NWU's finished product.

[26][27] The Type II will remain restricted to wear by Naval Special Warfare sailors in arid desert environments.

[29] In 2018, the eight-point cover used with the Type III NWU began featuring the Anchor, Constitution and Eagle (ACE) logo in place of the rank or rate insignia previously worn, similar to the Eagle-Globe-Anchor insignia is worn on the eight-point covers of the U.S. Marine Corps' combat utility uniforms.

In October 2019, the ACE logo completely replaced rank insignia on the NWU Type III's eight-point cover.

The U.S. Navy's original goal of developing a single working uniform for wear shipboard and ashore, for which the NWU Type I was found to be unsuitable because of its lack of flame resistance, has largely been abandoned.