CIO signed a contract with Italy's Segredifesa Land Armaments Directorate on 27 June to supply the last 28 out of a total of 150 Centauro IIs to the Italian Army. (Italian Army)
The Iveco-Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) announced the signing of a contract at Italy's Secretariat of Defence (Segredifesa) Land Armaments Directorate on 27 June to supply the last 28 Centauro II 8×8 fire support vehicles to the Italian Army (Esercito Italiano: EI).
The consortium said in a press release on 27 June that the contract, which includes 10 years of logistic support, would complete the delivery of 150 Centauro IIs to the EI.
The vehicle is fully operational, according to the press release. The EI announced on 28 February that Italy's Cavalry School had qualified the first crews on the Centauro II.
The crews from the school and the heavy armoured squadron of the 15th Regiment ‘Cavalleggeri di Lodi' received 16 weeks of training to operate the onboard systems of the vehicle's turret and hull in all operational environments during the day and at night. CIO said the Centauro results from a concept for a wheeled armoured vehicle capable of operating in any scenario, ranging from national security missions to peacekeeping and support operations.
The training ended with live-firing of the Centauro II.
The EI is procuring 150 Centauro IIs to replace its legacy Centauro vehicles, which will be phased out by around 2030.
The Centauro II is equipped with a new 720 hp H-drive power pack and features an entirely digital architecture; a new-generation Highly Integrated Technology, Fire Against Combat Tank (HITFACT) turret equipped with a 120 mm gun; and command, control, and communications systems. The original Centauro variant it is replacing has a 105 mm gun.
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