Following a trend set by the United States, Great Britain and France, early in 1991 the Italian Army introduced a camouflage pattern specifically for military personnel deployed to desert environments. This mimetico deserto was initially worn by Italian soldiers deployed to Somalia (UNOSOM II), but became the standard issue Army desert camouflage pattern for the next fifteen years. The design incorporates reddish-brown, olive green and beige woodland-type shapes on a sandy background.
