Centaur wheeled tank. Centaur, Lynx, Stryker, Movag - are wheeled tanks needed in the Russian army? What are we experiencing?

In the 1980s, the Italian army developed tactical and technical requirements for a promising family of tracked and wheeled armored combat vehicles, which were planned to go into production decades later. It was planned to create four types of such machines: the main one battle tank Ariete, Dardo tracked infantry fighting vehicle, Puma multi-purpose armored vehicle with 4x4 and 6x6 wheel configurations and the Centauro wheeled tank destroyer with 8x8 wheel arrangement.

The requirements for the latter were formulated at the beginning of 1984. It was planned to create a highly mobile wheeled combat vehicle with a 105-mm NATO standard rifled gun. It was supposed to have high speed on roads to increase the strategic mobility of troops, large stock travel, increased maneuverability over rough terrain and a computerized fire control system (FCS), which has much in common with the Offeine Galileo FCS for the Ariete main battle tank.

The first prototype of the vehicle was produced in January, and the second in mid-1987. In December, four vehicles were already being tested. A total of nine prototypes were built. One hull was used for ballistic testing. At the same time, a pre-production batch of ten cars was produced, which was completely ready at the end of 1989.

Production of the first batch of Centaurs for the Italian Army began at the end of 1990 and ended in 1991. The army initially planned to order 450, but then the order was reduced to 400 vehicles.

Serial "centaurs" differ significantly from prototypes. In particular, their weapons have been improved. The ammunition stowage was improved, the configuration of the rear part of the turret was changed, the folding ramp in the rear was replaced with a door, and crew accommodation became more convenient.

At the end of 1992, eight “centaurs” with 105-mm cannons were delivered to Somalia, where within four months they covered an average of 8,400 km without serious breakdowns.

In 1993, the British companies BAE Systems and RO Defense created the ROMOR-A dynamic protection (DZ) for light class vehicles and in the same year released 20 sets for the Centauro. Ten sets were delivered to Italy, the rest to Somalia.

In addition, the IVEKO-Otobreda consortium has developed a new package of passive armor for the “centaurs”, installed on the hull and turret of the vehicle to increase its protection from small arms fire.

The last deliveries of wheeled Centaur tank destroyers to the Italian army were made at the end of 1996.

In mid-1999, the Spanish Ministry of Defense entered into a contract with the IVEKO-Otobreda consortium for 70 million US dollars, which provided for the supply of 22 “centaurs”, their service maintenance and training of specialists, New vehicles arrived in Spain at the end of 2000 and under the designation VRC-105 they entered service with the 8th Light Cavalry Regiment of the Spanish Rapid Reaction Force. It is possible that Spain may order another batch of such machines in the future.

As far as we know, the Spanish VRC-105 are practically no different from the Italian “centaurs”. True, they are equipped with a remote sensing kit from the Spanish company Santa Barbara, which provides additional protection frontal projection of the vehicle from cumulative shells and grenades.

Tactical and technical characteristics of the CENTAUR infantry fighting vehicle (8×8) with a 520 hp engine.

At the beginning of 2000, the Centaur turret with a 105-mm cannon was installed on the ASCOD infantry fighting vehicle chassis, a joint Austrian-Spanish development. Thus, a new light tank successfully passed the test. At the same time, the Italians transferred sixteen “centaurs” to the US Army for temporary use to test new organizational structures of brigades. Of these, twelve were in the standard configuration, and four were in the security vehicle configuration.

Description

The hull and turret of the Centaur wheeled tank destroyer are all-welded, made of armor steel. Provide crew protection from small arms fire and shell fragments. The frontal armor can withstand hits from 20 mm armor-piercing shells, the rest - 12.7 mm bullets. True, it is not indicated. at what ranges?

The driver is located in the car body in front on the left side, to the right of him is the power compartment, fenced off from internal space fireproof bulkhead The driver has a hatch. the lid of which opens to the left. To monitor the road situation, three periscopic devices are used, the middle of which can be replaced by a passive night vision device MES VG/DIL.

The turret is installed on the roof of the hull, closer to the rear of the vehicle. The commander is located on the left side of the gun, the gunner on the right, and the loader in front and slightly below the gunner.

The commander's seat is equipped with four periscope observation devices. providing visibility forward, sideways and backwards. The commander's panoramic sight is installed in front of his hatch. It allows for all-round observation without turning your head.

The gunner can leave the vehicle through the loader's hatch, the lid of which opens backwards. On the right side of the turret there are five periscopic observation devices that can be used by both the gunner and the loader.

The Centaur tower is designed as a single module. It is manufactured by Otobreda in La Spezia and is supplied fully prepared for installation on the chassis.

The main weapon of the Centaur tank destroyer is a 105 mm Otobreda rifled gun with a 52-caliber barrel length and a large 750 mm recoil. All types of standard 105 mm NATO rounds for the L7 and M68 vik guns can be used for firing, including rounds with armor-piercing discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds. The gun has a vertical wedge breech with semi-automatic operation, which remains open after the cartridge case has been extracted. In addition, it is equipped with a multi-chamber muzzle brake, a heat-insulating casing and an ejection device for purging the barrel bore, as well as a system for controlling its bending. The barrel is made using autofrettage technology.

The gun's ammunition load is forty rounds, fourteen of which are placed in the turret, and the rest in the vehicle body. A coaxial 7.62 mm MG 42/59 machine gun is mounted to the left of the gun. Another similar machine gun is located on the roof of the tower as an anti-aircraft one. A block of four 76-mm smoke grenade launchers is mounted on both sides of the turret. The grenades are fired using an electric trigger.

The gun and turret drives are electro-hydraulic with manual override. The gun elevation angles vary from -6° to +15°, which is slightly less than on the main combat ganks due to the low profile of the turret.

The Centaur wheeled tank destroyer is equipped with the same Officine Galileo TURMS (Tank Universal Reconfigurable Modular system) control system. as on the Ariete main battle tank. Its main components are the commander's panoramic day sight with a line of sight stabilized in two planes, a periscope combined (day/night) gunner's sight with a stabilized aiming line and a built-in laser rangefinder, a digital ballistic computer, a set of firing conditions sensors, a barrel bending accounting system and control panels commander, gunner and loader.

1 - 105 mm cannon barrel; 2 - power compartment; 3 - driver's hatch; 4 - driver’s periscopic instruments; 5 - tower; 6 - commander's hatch; 7 - commander’s periscope devices; 8 - loader hatch; 9 - periscope devices for loader and gunner; 10 - 7.62 mm machine gun; 11 - 76-mm smoke grenade launchers; 12 - wheel with bulletproof tires

The commander's sight has a fixed 2.5x and 10x magnification. The swing angle of its head mirror varies from -10° to +60°, and the horizontal rotation angle of the sight head is 360°. For observation and firing at night, the commander has a television monitor, which displays an image from the gunner’s thermal imaging sight.

The gunner's sight mounted on the roof of the turret combines four main modules (head stabilized mirror, optical day channel, laser transceiver and thermal imager) in one housing. The daytime channel has a 5x magnification, and the TV channel provides two fields of view on the monitor - wide and narrow.

The digital ballistic computer determines the initial settings for firing and controls the operation of all subsystems of the control system (optical trailer, laser rangefinder, servos). as well as sensors for firing conditions, built-in systems for monitoring the performance of the SITE control system and crew training. It also provides reconfiguration of system operation algorithms from normal mode to backup ones in case of partial failures

The fire control system includes three main sensors for firing conditions: meteorological, heading angle and barrel wear.

The gunner has an Officine Galileo OG C-102 telescopic sight as a backup with 8x magnification and three aiming scales that can be switched manually.

Despite the fact that the 105-mm Centaur cannon is stabilized, in the Italian army the main thing is to fire from it from a short stop.

The Centaur is equipped with a V-shaped six-cylinder four-stroke multi-fuel liquid-cooled diesel engine IVECO VTCA with turbocharging. developing power 520 hp at 2300 rpm.

The engine is connected to a German automatic gearbox (automatic transmission) ZF 5 HP 1500, providing five forward gears and two reverse gears. The automatic transmission, in turn, transmits torque to the ZF transfer case. The transfer case and automatic transmission are manufactured in Italy in Bolzano under license. All power block on Centauro can be replaced within 20 minutes.

From the transmission, torque is transmitted to the differential, from which it is distributed into two streams. It is transmitted to each side of the machine to wheel gearboxes via cardan shafts, cardan gears and bevel gears.

The car's suspension is hydropneumatic. Two pairs of front wheels and the last pair of rear wheels are turning, which provides relatively small turning radii. The rear pair of wheels is controlled only at speeds up to 20 km/h.

The central system for regulating pressure in bullet-resistant tires is included in the standard equipment of the machine. Adjustment is carried out from the driver's seat while the vehicle is moving and provides increased cross-country ability on rough terrain.

The Sekur WMD protection system, similar to that used on the Ariete tank, is installed in the turret niche. It prevents contaminated air from entering the car by creating overpressure. The built-in air conditioning system allows the crew to work normally at ambient temperatures ranging from 30° to +44° C.

The Centaur's standard equipment includes a front-mounted winch and fire protection systems in the power and combat departments.

At the customer's request, sensors for a warning system against exposure to laser rangefinders or anti-tank missile guidance systems can be installed on the roof of the tower.

In the standard version, the Centaur's combat weight is 25 tons, when installed on it additional modules armor protection increases to 28 tons.

A whole family of combat and special armored vehicles has been developed on the chassis of the Centaur wheeled tank destroyer.

Combat vehicles for peacekeeping and security forces

The Italian peacekeeping contingent in Bosnia has quite a few “centaurs”. These vehicles are distinguished by the presence of a package of mounted armor protection, and the 7.62-mm MG 42/59 anti-aircraft machine gun mounted on the roof of the turret is covered from small arms fire on the right and left with armored shields.

The last batch of "centaurs" in the amount of 150 vehicles out of 400 delivered to the Italian army, is equipped for use as security vehicles. Their main difference is the placement of four infantrymen who board and disembark through the aft door. To do this, it was necessary to remove two 105 mm round ammunition, reducing them to sixteen, fourteen of which are in the turret and two in the hull. Seating at the same time they are also boxes with spare parts.

In the troop compartment, the inside of the vehicle body is covered with a Kevlar-type material, which reduces the likelihood of being damaged by broken armor fragments. Air conditioning and anti-mass protection systems have been modified to provide purified or cooled air to the increased crew.

"Centaur" with a 60 mm cannon

The new Otobreda T60/70A turret with a 60-mm cannon as part of the weapon system was installed for testing on the latest version of the Centaur chassis. It is slightly longer and wider than the standard one and has a wheelbase of 1,605 × 1.6 × 1.6 m. The vehicle with a combat weight of 24 tons can accommodate six paratroopers. Moreover, its crew consists of three people.

The same chassis is used for the Centaur VBC infantry fighting vehicle with a 25 mm automatic cannon.

Infantry fighting vehicle "Centaur" \/VS (8×8)

A prototype of the Centaur VBC wheeled infantry fighting vehicle was released in early 1996 and was demonstrated at the Eurosatory international arms exhibition in Paris in June. This vehicle was developed as part of an initiative project, but in accordance with the requirements of the Italian army to create an infantry fighting vehicle capable of operating in conjunction with the Kangaroo wheeled tank destroyers.

Description

At the beginning of 1999, the Italian army entered into a contract with the IVECO-Otobreda company for the design, development and construction of three prototypes of such an infantry fighting vehicle. It was equipped with the same two-man Otobreda TS-25 turret with a 25-mm Oerlikon Cotraves KVA automatic cannon and a coaxial 7 .62-mm machine gun, as on the Dardo HITFIST tracked infantry fighting vehicle. The turret is located in the center, the troop compartment is located at the rear of the vehicle. It can accommodate up to eight infantrymen; their embarkation and disembarkation is carried out through a wide hydraulically driven ramp that folds down at the rear of the vehicle. The ramp is equipped with a door in case it is not possible to open it. For landing small arms there are five loopholes with periscope observation devices, two on each side and one on the left side of the ramp.

Standard equipment of the vehicle includes an additional armor package to improve protection from small arms fire, power steering steering wheels with bullet-resistant tires (two pairs of front and a pair of rear), a central tire pressure regulation system, protection systems against weapons of mass destruction, air conditioning, laser warning irradiation and fire-fighting equipment.

In the armored personnel carrier version, the vehicle is equipped with a turret with a 12.7 mm and coaxial 7.62 mm machine guns. In this case, its crew consists of two people (commander-gunner and driver), and the airborne compartment can accommodate up to ten infantrymen.

According to representatives of the IVECO-Otobreda consortium, the vehicle can be equipped with more powerful diesel engines and a reinforced armor package. Then its combat weight will be 28 tons.

In 2003, at the IDEX-03 exhibition in Abu Dhabi, a wheeled tank destroyer was shown. Its main weapon is a 120-mm Otobreda 120/45 smoothbore gun with a 45-caliber barrel length and a short recoil. Unlike its predecessor with a 105-mm cannon, two anti-aircraft machine guns are installed on the roof of the turret of the new vehicle, one of them 12.7 mm is remote-controlled; the fire control system remains the same. When used as a security vehicle, it can accommodate four infantrymen, and the ammunition load will be reduced to eleven rounds.

In addition, in Italy, based on the Centaur chassis (8x8), the following have already been created and are being developed: a self-propelled mortar; command and control vehicle; armored repair and recovery vehicle; armored ambulance; floating armored personnel carrier; anti-aircraft artillery complex; 155 mm self-propelled howitzer and bridge layer.

In general, the chassis of the wheeled tank destroyer "Centaur" (8x8) turned out to be successful, which made it possible to create on its basis a whole range of armored vehicles with different purposes. This increases the unification of equipment in units and formations, facilitates supply, training of specialists and repairs.

S. SUVOROV, Candidate of Military Sciences

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Basic principles

The development of the Centaur vehicles was planned to produce a whole family of wheeled armored vehicles that are based on the same chassis, using the criterion: standardization - versatility.

According to the developers, appropriate solutions made it possible to achieve the proper balance of three classical parameters: mobility - firepower - protection.

The placement of the engine (at the front of the car) and a special transmission (the so-called “H” type) were chosen due to the following advantages:

· lower silhouette;

· greater stability while driving over rough terrain and (or) during shooting;

· better protection for the driver;

· higher level of standardization of various options;

· more low costs logistics services.

All Centaur machines use the same mechanical groups, the special placement of which (“H” type) makes it possible to combine universalization with standardization. And the housings for each option are optimized for the task and are manufactured using modern technologies.

Variants of the Centaur (8X8) family of combat vehicles include a reconnaissance vehicle for fighting tanks, armed with a 105 mm cannon and a crew of four (commander, gunner, loader, driver), as well as a variant of this vehicle - the Centaur (8X8) T , in which, along with a crew of four people, there is a security department of four people. At the same time, the ammunition load has been reduced from 14+26 (first-stage ammunition and additional shots) to 14+2 shots. Other variants of the vehicle are an infantry fighting vehicle with a two-man turret with 25 mm AP. Crew9 ÷ 11 (commander, gunner, driver + squad 6 people ÷ 8 people). In the armored personnel carrier version, with a single turret with 25 mm AP, the crew is11 people (commander, gunner, driver + squad of 8 people)

Reconnaissance vehicle for fighting tanks (IT "Centaur")

In the past decade, the West has seen a number of developments of wheeled armored vehicles. They were conceived as tank destroyers or as heavy ground fire weapons to support infantry, as well as reconnaissance vehicles (AMX-10RC). Their role in the Central European theater of operations was discussed again and again by specialists in the development of armored vehicles. However, the more we delved into the consideration of this theater of operations, the greater the recognition of these weapon systems became. Possibility of technical implementation, i.e. the ability to install a tank gun on a wheeled chassis with almost half the combat weight (of the tank), as well as while maintaining the technical and logistical advantages inherent in the wheeled chassis, was the main incentive for the development of such vehicles.

Military requirements

The military requirements of the Italian army in 1982 were aimed primarily at the creation of a wheeled armored vehicle for fire support of infantry, which should be suitable for repelling airborne landings and amphibious operations and, being air transportable, be at the disposal of rapidly deployable troops. To perform these tasks, a 90 mm cannon would be suitable as the main weapon. However, in 1984, these tactical requirements were changed and additionally required a full anti-tank defense capability and combat use on the main theater of operations in Northeastern Italy. As a result, a 105 mm gun with high speed projectile flight. The only way to place such a weapon with a length of about 50 calibers on an approximately 20-ton wheeled chassis is to increase the recoil length of the barrel approximately three times and install a highly effective muzzle brake (with 35-40% energy absorption) and thereby reduce recoil forces to 12 -15 t (the tank, in contrast, “withstands” recoil forces of 55-60 t). The IVECO FIAT - OTO MELARA consortium has now taken up this task, which initially, in 1982, had to abandon its proposal for a 6x6 wheeled chassis with a 90-mm cannon and a mass of 16 tons. For the 105-mm L-7 cannon ( tank "Leopard-1") the stability of the 6x6 chassis was no longer sufficient. The chassis of the prototype AVH 6636 was lengthened by one axle, resulting in an 8x8 model weighing 22 tons. In June 1987 The first prototype was presented, called "Centaur".

Tactical and technical indicators

Characteristic features of the chassis are the frontal arrangement power plant and H-shaped transmission. Gas turbine supercharged diesel engine MTCA V -6 from IVECO FIAT develops a power of 382 kW and, thanks to its placement, partially provides additional ballistic protection for the driver sitting on the left in front.

The use of an H-shaped transmission (in comparison with a simpler T-shaped one) gives the vehicle greater stability in motion, higher survivability (even if up to four wheels fail, the Centaur remains capable of maneuvering) and requires less internal volume. The required maximum driving speed of 80 km/h was exceeded during testing (108 km/h). Automatic transmission (ZF) and braking system (PEROTH) made in West Germany. Along with the hydropneumatic independent wheel suspension, the tire pressure regulation system and selector switching of drive and control should be mentioned: for longer driving on the highway, six-wheel drive and four-wheel control (8x6x4) are selected. Where high maneuverability is required in a limited area, at speeds below 20 km/h, the rear pair of wheels (8x6x6) can also be driven; in difficult terrain, an eight-wheel drive (8x8x6) can be selected.

The large three-man turret houses a 105 mm cannon. It seems important that the gun has a maximum recoil of 75 cm, without which it would be impossible to install the gun on a wheeled chassis weighing 22 tons. The ammunition supply is 40 rounds (14+26). The SEPA fire control system and day/night surveillance system provide the probability of a first shot hit (laser rangefinder on a neodymium-doped yttrium-aluminum grenade). Coaxial and anti-aircraft machine guns (both 7.62 mm), as well as smoke grenade launchers (2x4) complete the armament.

The survivability of this weapon system (IT) is ensured, along with a filter-ventilation and climate control system for protection against weapons of mass destruction, a fire extinguishing and explosion suppression system. This is according to Western standard. The not very large negative vertical angle (-6^) makes choosing a partially closed position not entirely simple. However, good maneuverability with a damaged chassis and simple emergency exit through a relatively large door at the rear, as well as the U-shaped hull (reducing the effect of mines) should be assessed positively. The armor provides protection against 7.62 mm hard-core bullets and fragments of 155 mm artillery shells along the perimeter, with the exception of the frontal part of the hull and turret, the armor of which must provide protection against 20 mm shells. The engine is installed in an isolated compartment, which ensures ease of maintenance. It only takes 20 minutes to replace it. Access to the fighting compartment is through the aft door. Sleep is also used to replenish ammunition.

Valuation and prospects

The Centaur tank destroyer has good specific power(16.16 kW/t) and is a fairly combat-ready wheeled armored vehicle. Until now, the leading position has been occupied by the French AMX-10RC (6x6) BRM in service, on which a 105-mm MESA (L-48) medium-pressure gun is installed. MT "Centaur", with the exception of fighting tanks, will be able to perform well all the tasks assigned to it by the Italian army. In the role of a tank destroyer, in a confrontation with a modern tank equipped with dynamic protection, it is undoubtedly in a worse position than an MBT with 120 mm guns. The choice of carrier weapons is carried out on an alternative basis: installation of a turret with an ATGM or in a gun/ATGM combination.

Serial production of the Centaur IT began in 1991, the Italian army received 400 of these vehicles, 22 vehicles are also in service with the Spanish army, another 62 vehicles ordered in 2002 should be received in 2006.

TTX IT "Centaur"

CENTAURO (8X8). Co nsorzio Iveco Fiat - Oto Melara

DER ITALIENISCHE RADPANZER "CENTAURO". SOLDAT UND TECHNIK, 1990, Nr.8.

Tank variant project A27 with engine Liberty and a Merritt-Brown transmission, called "Centaur", was developed at the end of 1941 by English Electric, which also built a prototype model under contract.

On April 29, 1942, the same company was entrusted with the construction of two A27L prototypes. Construction of the first was completed on June 29, 1942 (the second tank was ready a few days later) and in July both vehicles were sent to Farnborough for testing. Already in August, the first orders for serial A27L tanks were placed with several companies; the Nuffield concern received the largest order. The construction of over 4,000 vehicles was envisaged.

However, soon, as a result of negative assessments received by the A27L during testing, some of the already concluded contracts were canceled, and in the rest the number of tanks ordered was reduced. Then the Leyland concern took over the “patronage” of the Centaur, becoming the leading and responsible manufacturer of this tank. Leyland headed several other smaller firms that produced the entire A27L or supplied individual components and parts. In September 1942, Leyland factories began producing Liberty engines (about 3,000 engines in total) and Merritt-Brown transmission units (more than 6,000 such units were produced for Centaur, Cromwell and Comet tanks during the war). Serial production of the A27L began in December 1942. The first Leyland production tanks rolled off the production line in January 1943. Since replacement of the motor was subsequently planned for them, the foundation under it was designed for the installation of both types of engines. The radiators were placed at the end of the engine and transmission compartment, and not along the sides, as on the Centaur.

Since the end of 1942, Leyland engineers began work on modernizing Liberty engines, aimed at increasing their power, eliminating numerous shortcomings, ensuring reliable operation. The improved version of the engine had a power of 395 hp. With. (short-term - 405-410 hp) and was put into production in the first half of 1943. But already in the middle of that year, the number of Centaur tanks built at Leyland factories decreased significantly, and their place on the assembly line was taken by Cromwell tanks. Production of the A27L ended in February 1944.

In total, from August 1942 to February 1944, 3134 Centaur of all modifications (including self-propelled guns) were produced. Thus, this tank, less famous than the Cromwell, became the most popular “heavy cruiser” of the British army in the Second World War.

The A27L was produced in several variants:

Centaur I- initial version, armed with 6-pound. (57mm) OQF gun. About 700 vehicles were built;

Centaur II- this designation was given to a model with wider tracks and guide stars with a large number of teeth (most likely, only a few prototypes were built);

Centaur III- the second main version of the tank, armed with a 75 mm Mk V or Mk VI cannon. A significant part of these vehicles were obtained by conversion from Centaur I, and then some were converted into vehicles special purpose, and partly brought to the Cromwell standard. Such tanks (with the Meteor engine) are known as Cromwell Mk X (later the designation was changed to Cromwell III);

Centaur IV- support tank with 95 mm howitzer. A total of 80 cars were built that had engines with a higher compression ratio, which gave a short-term increase in power. They were used mainly for training purposes. During the Normandy landings, Centaur IVs were in service with the Royal Marine Armored Support Group.

From the end of 1943, when production of Meteor engines and 75 mm tank guns was launched, mass conversion of the A27L to the Cromwell standard began; these tanks could be distinguished from each other only by minor details (for example, different mechanism track tension).

A27Ls that could not be converted were converted into auxiliary vehicles. This is how the following Centaur modifications appeared:

Centaur AA- a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (the so-called anti-aircraft tank), on which, after dismantling the turret, a modified turret of the Crusader AA tank was installed. There were two modifications: the Centaur AA Mk I had a turret from the Crusader AA Mk II, and the Centaur AA Mk P had a turret from the Crusader AA Mk III.

Armament was a twin 20mm Polsten mount (as opposed to the Oerlikon on the Crusader AA). The radio station was often mounted in the housing, and additional ammunition was placed in its usual place. About 200 units built;

Centaur OR- a tank for artillery observers and spotters. Equipped with an additional radio station, telephone and surveillance equipment. The gun was replaced with a wooden model. Such vehicles were used in control units and artillery regiments of tank divisions;

Centaur ARV- evacuation armored tractor (ARV). A winch was mounted in place of the tower, and a crane and shelves were installed on the hull for placing fuel tanks, containers with spare parts, etc.;

Centaur Dozer did not have a tower and were equipped with a blade. They were used in the construction of fortifications and the destruction of obstacles (such as ditches, etc.). The blade was mounted on a frame fixed to the sides and lowered by a hydraulic drive. These vehicles were assigned (one at a time) to each squadron in a tank division, as well as to sapper units. The design was developed in 1944 and was produced by MG Car Co. A small number of these vehicles arrived shortly before the end of the war;

Centaur Kangaroo- armored personnel carrier - a standard tank without a turret, adapted for transportation in the combat compartment of infantry (10-12 soldiers). Several prototypes have been converted.

A27L in its original form did not participate in the battles. The only exceptions are RMASG (Royal Marine Armored Support Group) tanks. The RMASG was formed by the Royal Navy in July 1943. According to the original concept, the group's tanks (Centaur IV with 95 mm howitzers) with dismantled engines were to be mounted in pairs on landing barges to support from the sea the first wave of Marine assault troops at a time when the naval artillery began to transfer fire deep into the enemy’s defenses. After several exercises, culminating in February 1944 with demonstration maneuvers attended by King George VI and General Montgomery, this concept was changed. Engines were again installed on the tanks, which were now supposed to land with the marines and support them deep in the enemy’s defenses. On March 14, the reorganization of RMASG began: Brigadier D.N. Sanders became the group commander (after his death in June 1944, Colonel E.D. Harvey) and it now consisted of two two-divisional regiments (32 Centaur and 8 Sherman OP in each) and a separate tank division. In total the group consisted of 1075 people. and 100 tanks.

During the crossing of the English Channel and the landings on June 6, 1944 (D-Day), the group lost 20 Centaur tanks (mostly sunk). On the first day, 21 tanks took part in the battles, then the rest arrived. Interestingly, to increase the ammunition capacity of these tanks, floating sled-trailers were attached to them, which carried 60 additional shells for the howitzer. Although it was initially planned to use Marine tanks no further than 2 km from the coastline, they participated in the battles until June 21, supporting the river if necessary. Orn Commandos from the 4th Special Service Brigade or cooperating with the 6th Airborne Division. On June 24, the RMASG was withdrawn to the rear (combat-ready tanks were transferred to artillery units), and then sent to England, where it was disbanded in October 1944.

B1 "Centaur" (Italian: Centauro) is an Italian heavy armored vehicle, often also classified as a tank destroyer. Created by the Iveco FIAT Oto Melara concern by order of the Italian Army for the role of a reconnaissance vehicle, also capable of fighting enemy armored vehicles. Serial production of the Centaur was carried out from 1991 to 2006, a total of 484 vehicles of this type were produced, some of which, in addition to Italy, were exported to Spain.

In addition to the armored car, on a common base with it, the Freccia infantry fighting vehicle was created, which is in service with the Italian Army, as well as an armored personnel carrier that did not go beyond the prototype stage.

History of creation

In 1984, the command of the Italian army formulated requirements for a highly mobile wheeled tank destroyer armed with a 105-mm rifled gun with ballistics similar to the guns of the Leopard-1 and M60A1 tanks. The gun's sighting system was supposed to be unified with the fire control systems of the promising Ariete main battle tank and the VCC-80 tracked infantry fighting vehicle. The terms of reference were developed within the framework comprehensive program rearmament of ground forces. Heavy armored vehicles were assigned the role of main battle tanks.

Work on the “wheeled tank” began by OTO Melara and Fiat at the end of 1984 and was based on the experience of creation in 1982-1983. armored car Fiat 6636 with a 6x6 wheel arrangement. Installing a turret with a 105 mm cannon increased the weight of the vehicle by at least 6-7 tons, so it was necessary to add a fourth to the three axles so that the vehicle’s maneuverability would not deteriorate. Choice overall dimensions machine was determined by an intractable compromise between the need for a larger internal volume of the hull to accommodate the turret turret and the limitations imposed by the size of the cargo compartment of the C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft.

In April 1985, testing began on a demonstration vehicle without armor. The main purpose of the tests was to test the chassis, especially the new hydropneumatic wheel suspension, and test the vehicle's layout solutions in relation to the ease of maintenance of the 105 mm gun.

The first B-1 vehicle with full armor and armament was handed over for testing in January 1987, followed by five more by the end of the year. A total of ten prototype B-1 armored vehicles took part in the tests. In 1990, the Italian armed forces received the first ten B-1 Centaur armored vehicles, and in 1991 their full-scale production began at the IVECO Fiat plant in Bolzano with a production rate of ten vehicles per month.

It should be noted that the B-1 Centaur armored vehicle occupies a special place among armored wheeled vehicles. Formally, it is classified as a BRM - a combat reconnaissance vehicle, but this is not entirely correct. Exceptionally powerful armament for a wheeled vehicle (105 mm rifled gun with high initial speed projectile) allows us to remove quotation marks from the expression “wheeled tank” in relation to this vehicle, especially since in the Italian army “Centaurs” replaced the American M47 tanks.

Design

The body of the armored car is welded from steel armor plates of various thicknesses. In the frontal part the armor is resistant to 20 mm shells, and from the stern and sides - to 12.7 mm bullets. The engine and transmission compartment is located in the front of the body on the right side. The engine is a six-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine with turbocharging IVECO Fiat MTSA V-6 with a power of 520 hp. With. In addition to the Centaur armored vehicles various options V-6 diesel engines are installed on the VCC-80 tracked infantry fighting vehicles, the Argentine TAM tank and the Italian Ariete main battle tank. The car uses a West German automatic six-speed (five forward, one reverse) ZF SHP-1500 gearbox. The engine, cooling system and gearbox are designed as a single unit and are separated from the rest of the body fire partitions. An automatic fire extinguishing and alarm system is installed in the engine and transmission compartment.

To the left of the engine and transmission compartment there is a control compartment with a driver's workplace (the driver's seat is height adjustable). Outside of a combat situation, the driver controls the vehicle, observing the terrain through the open hatch. In combat, observation is carried out using three periscope viewing devices. Instead of the central observation unit, a non-illuminated night vision device can be installed.

The central part of the hull is occupied by fuel tanks and the turret floor. In the aft part there are two ammunition racks with 12 projectiles for the gun, batteries, a filter-ventilation unit and a hydraulic winch with a traction force of 10 tons. The aft armor plate has a hatch used for loading projectiles.

All eight wheels are driven, the first two pairs are steered, but at speeds up to 20 km/h the rear pair of wheels can also be turned. The wheels are controlled using hydraulic boosters. Wheel suspension is independent hydropneumatic. The machine is equipped with a centralized tire pressure control system. All wheels are equipped with disc brakes.

The three-man turret, armed with a 52-caliber 105 mm LR cannon, was developed by OTO Melara. It is installed closer to the rear of the hull. The armored vehicle commander is located to the left of the gun, the gunner is to the right, and the loader is located behind the gunner. Hatches in the hull roof are located above the commander and loader's seats.

The LR gun has internal ballistics similar to the 105 mm L7/M68 tank gun. The gun is equipped with a device for purging the barrel bore after firing, a highly effective muzzle brake that absorbs up to 40% of recoil, and a thermal protective casing. The recoil of the gun when fired is 14 tons; in order to extinguish it, a special hydro-pneumatic recoil system with a barrel stroke of 750 mm after the shot is installed. Firing is possible with all standard 105 mm NATO shells, including cumulative ones. The gun's ammunition capacity is 40 shells, 14 of which are stored directly in the turret. The gun is paired with a 7.62 mm M42/59 machine gun (mounted on the left side of the gun); another machine gun can be mounted on the roof of the turret. Ammunition for machine guns is 4000 rounds. There are four smoke grenade launchers on the sides of the tower.

The rotation of the turret and the aiming of the gun in the vertical plane are carried out using electro-hydraulic drives. Gun elevation angles from -6° to +15°.

Installed on an armored car modular system fire control company Galileo. Its main subsystems are commander and gunner sights, a digital ballistic computer, atmospheric sensors, indicators and control panels for the gunner, commander and loader. The commander of the armored vehicle has a stabilized daytime panoramic sight with 2.5- and 10-fold magnification. The sight has an integrated electro-optical image intensifier, which allows observation and aiming in low light conditions. The sight has circular rotation in the horizontal plane, in the vertical plane - from -10° to +60°. The gunner has a combined stabilized day/night sight with a built-in laser rangefinder. The day channel has 5-fold amplification, the image from the infrared channel is duplicated on an indicator installed next to the commander’s seat. The shooter also has a telescope with 8x magnification paired with the main sight. The commander monitors the left sector through four periscopic viewing devices, the gunner monitors the right sector through five fixed periscope viewing devices. The ballistic computer is built on the basis of a 16-bit Intel 8086 processor. Despite the fact that the gun is stabilized in two planes and has a modern fire control system, according to Western press reports, the Centaur cannot fire on the move.

But the test results of the first six vehicles resulted in some changes being made to the design: the width of the hull was slightly reduced (for more convenient placement in the “belly” of the S-130), the bottom was given a slight V-shape for better mine protection, the size of the hatch in the rear armor plate was reduced .

Serial production of the B-1 Centaur armored vehicles ended in 1996. 400 vehicles were handed over to three armored cavalry regiments of the Italian army. The command of the Spanish Armed Forces is showing interest in armored vehicles of this type, which intends to purchase 30 wheeled tanks.

Modifications

• B1 "Centaur"- basic serial modification
• B1 "Centaur" 120 mm- modernized modification with a 120 mm smoothbore gun and improved chassis
• Draco- modification equipped with a 76-mm automatic cannon and radar. In 2010, a Centauro demonstration was carried out with the new Draco tower and system active protection Scudo. Development work was planned to be completed in 2012. The first production model could be delivered in 2014.

Combat use

Testing armored vehicles in combat conditions. "Centaur" took place during the peacekeeping operation "Restaurant Hope", carried out in Somalia under the auspices of the UN. At the end of 1992, eight wheeled tanks from the 19th Cavalry Regiment were sent to the African continent as part of a mixed armored company (in addition to the Centaurs, it included five more M60A1 tanks). Two airborne regiments, which formed the backbone of the Italian contingent of the UN forces, were reinforced with heavy equipment. "Centaurs" were widely used to conduct reconnaissance raids, blockade the main routes of communication for the separatists, and escort convoys carrying humanitarian supplies. During the first four months of 1993, seven armored vehicles covered 8,400 km along Somali highways and off-roads. For all this time there has not been a single serious case of equipment failure. The eighth vehicle was not used because its engine failed immediately upon arrival in Somalia. Before the end of the UN mission in Somalia, the eighth Centaur was put into operation, and two more vehicles were transferred from Italy.

In conditions of constant tire damage, the system of centralized pressure control in pneumatic tires proved itself especially well; of course, it could not get rid of punctures, but it allowed the task to be completed.

For the entire company, there were no worthy targets for the 105-mm guns; they were fired only during training exercises at an improvised training ground in the Jialalxi area. But the commander’s panoramic sight with an electro-optical image intensifier was very useful. "Centaurs" were very often used as mobile observation posts along the Imperial Highway. The vehicles took up positions 500 m from the road and the crews, using sights as night vision devices, monitored night life, if necessary, directing Italian patrols to suspicious manifestations of it.

The VHF radio stations installed on armored vehicles turned out to be insufficiently powerful; it was considered necessary to have a medium-range HF radio station at least on command vehicles. Oddly enough, in a very hot climate, the crews did not use the air conditioning system, preferring to open all the hatches.

Typical counterinsurgency operations were carried out in Somalia. The enemy was poorly armed and poorly trained, however, it quickly became clear that the armor protection of the Centaurs (as well as all other armored vehicles) was clearly not sufficient; it did not “hold” the armor-piercing bullets of DShK machine guns, not to mention RPG grenades. 7. Twenty sets of ROMOR-A dynamic protection units for the turret and hull sides were urgently ordered from the English company Royal Ordnance. Ten sets were installed on the Somali Centaurs.

In the summer of 1997, the Centaurs, together with the Fiat 6614 armored cars of the Guards Cavalry Regiment, took part in Operation Alba to prevent civil war in Albania.

Technical specifications

Wheel formula................................................... ..8x8 Combat weight, kg............................................... ....24.800 Hull length, m.................................... ....... 7.40 Length with gun forward, m.................................... ...... 8.56 Width, m.................................... ................. 2.94 Hull height, m.................................... .................... 1.75 Tower roof height, m.................... .................... 2.44 Wheelbase, m.................................... ............... 1.60/1.45/1.45 Track width, m.................... ........................... 2.51 Ground clearance, m.................. ............................... 0.42 Maximum speed on the highway, km/h........ ....................... 108 Cruising range on the highway, km..................... .................... 800 Fuel tank capacity, l.................................... ............... 540 Obstacles to be overcome: climbing................................. ........................... 60% wall height, m............. ................................... 0.55 trench width, m........ ........................................ 1.55 ford depth, m... ........................................... 1.2 Crew, people ........................................................ ..... 4

The news about the testing of the Italian wheeled tank "Centauro" and the possible purchase of a license for its production caused a lot of noise. Supporters and opponents did not skimp on arguments. He also wrote about “Centaur” in “Safe Fatherland”. We would like to bring to your attention a truly balanced article by an expert who considers not only the “Centaur” - but also other wheeled combat vehicles as an independent subclass military equipment.

It must be stated right away that neither the Soviet nor the Russian army ever had vehicles of this class. We didn’t create armored vehicles in our country after World War II - for a big war using nuclear weapons, which is exactly what the USSR was preparing for, they were not needed. In the West, they took a slightly different approach, since in addition to preparing for a global armed confrontation with the socialist camp led by Moscow, they had to pay attention to colonies, overseas territories, etc.

The volume of KBM development was also significantly influenced by the demand for them in third world countries that were not so rich as to purchase main tanks in large quantities. Well, demand, as we know, creates supply. Over the past 70 years, many armored vehicles have appeared abroad. various classes- from light to heavy. “Centaur” belongs to the latter category. Yes, yes, the “Centaur” is an armored vehicle or, as such equipment is classified according to modern domestic terminology, a wheeled armored vehicle with heavy weapons. The term "wheeled tank" does not officially exist. However, in the Italian army the Centaur is called a light tank destroyer.

In the photo: KBM "Stryker", USA

The tactical and technical requirements for the Centaur were determined in 1984. According to them, it was planned to design a mobile KBM, equipped with a 105-mm gun, with high dynamic characteristics, a large range, increased cross-country ability and a computerized fire control system, unified with the control system of the main Ariete tank.

Production of Centaurs for the Italian army began at the end of 1990 at the IVECO-Fiat plant in Bolzano and ended in 1996. The troops received 400 vehicles, currently there are 320 left (in eight cavalry regiments). The status of 80 KBM of this type is unclear. Rome sold another 84 armored vehicles to Spain (perhaps 80 of them were from the Italian army) and six KBMs to Oman. Moreover, the latter are armed with 120 mm cannons. Thus, total The number of Centaurs produced is either 410 or 490 units.

What is the B1 Centauro tank destroyer?

The vehicle body is welded from steel armor plates of various thicknesses. In the frontal part the armor is resistant to 25 mm shells, and from the stern and sides - 14.5 mm bullets. At the same time, however, it is not reported from what distances. The engine and transmission compartment is located in the front of the body on the right side. Engine - six-cylinder V-shaped liquid-cooled diesel engine with turbocharging IVECO MTSA with a power of 520 Horse power. The KBM uses a German automatic (five forward, two reverse) gearbox ZF 5HP-1500.

In the photo: KBM "Ruikat" (Lynx), South Africa

The engine, cooling system and gearbox are structurally designed as a single unit and are separated from the rest of the body by fire partitions. If necessary, the power unit can be replaced within 20 minutes. To the left of the MTO there is a control compartment with a driver’s workplace (the seat is height adjustable), who controls the vehicle outside of a combat situation, observing the terrain through the open hatch. In combat, surveillance is carried out using three periscopic devices, and the middle one is replaced with an unilluminated night vision device.

The triple welded turret is mounted closer to the rear of the hull. It is manufactured as a single module and arrives at the assembly of the armored vehicle completely ready for installation on the chassis. The KBM commander sits to the left of the gun, the gunner to the right, and the loader behind the gunner. Hatches in the hull roof are located above the commander and loader's seats.

The 105-mm gun with a 52-caliber barrel length is similar in internal ballistics to the 105-mm L7/M68 tank gun and is equipped with a device for purging the barrel bore after firing, a highly effective (absorbs up to 40% of recoil) muzzle brake, and a thermal protective casing. The recoil of the gun when fired is 14 tons. A special hydropneumatic recoil system with a barrel stroke of 750 millimeters after the shot is designed to extinguish it. Firing is possible with all standard 105mm NATO ammunition, including HEAT. Ammunition - 40 shells, 14 of them are stored directly in the turret. A 7.62-mm M42/59 machine gun is coaxial with the cannon (located on the left side of it). Another machine gun can be mounted on the roof of the turret. Ammunition for machine guns is 4000 rounds. Four smoke grenade launchers are mounted on the sides of the tower.

The gun and turret drives are electro-hydraulic with manual override. The gun elevation angles vary from -6º to +15º (slightly less than on main battle tanks due to the low profile of the turret).

The Centaur is equipped with an Officine Galileo TURMS fire control system - the same as on the Ariete main battle tank. Its main components are the commander's panoramic day sight with a line of sight stabilized in two planes, a periscope combined (day/night) gunner's sight with a stabilized line of sight and a built-in laser rangefinder, a digital ballistic computer, a set of firing conditions sensors, a barrel bending accounting system and control panels commander, gunner and loader.

The commander's sight has a fixed 2.5- and 10-fold magnification. The swing angle of the head mirror varies from -10º to +60º, the horizontal rotation angle of the sight head is 360º. To observe and fire at night, the commander uses a television monitor, which displays an image from the gunner’s thermal imaging sight.

The gunner's sight located on the roof of the turret combines four main modules (head stabilized mirror, optical day channel, laser transceiver and thermal imager) in one housing. The day channel has a five-fold magnification, and the thermal imaging channel provides two fields of view on the monitor - wide and narrow.

In the photo: KBM "Piranha 4" , from the Swiss company Mowag

The digital ballistic computer determines the initial settings for firing, controls the operation of all subsystems of the fire control system (optical sight, laser range finder, servos), as well as sensors of firing conditions, built-in systems for monitoring the performance of the SITE fire control system and crew training, and ensures reconfiguration of system operation algorithms from normal mode to duplicating in case of partial failures.

The fire control system includes three main sensors for firing conditions: meteorological, heading angle and barrel wear.

The gunner has an Officine Galileo OG C102 telescopic sight as a backup with eight times magnification and three aiming scales that can be switched manually.

The car's suspension is hydropneumatic. Two pairs of front wheels and the last pair of rear wheels are turning, which provides relatively small turning radii. The rear pair of wheels is controlled only at speeds up to 20 kilometers per hour. A centralized tire pressure regulation system is included in the standard equipment of the KBM. Adjustment is carried out from the driver's seat while driving and provides increased cross-country ability.

The turret niche contains elements of the Sekur WMD protection system, similar to that used on the Ariete tank. It prevents contaminated air from entering the armored vehicle by creating excess pressure in it. The built-in air conditioning system allows the crew to work normally at ambient temperatures ranging from -30º to +44ºС.

The Centaur's standard equipment includes a front-mounted winch and fire-fighting systems in the power and combat compartments.

In the standard version, the combat weight of the Centaur is 25 tons. The crew is four people, the maximum speed on the highway is 105 kilometers per hour, the fuel range is 800 kilometers.

It should be noted that 251 vehicles are made in the so-called long version. Its hull in the rear part is extended by 22 centimeters, which makes it possible to equip space for four infantrymen of a patrol group.

After the use of "Centaurs" by the Italian contingent in Somalia in 1992, their reservation was strengthened. When additional armor protection modules are installed on the KBM, its weight increases to 28 tons.

On the chassis of the Centaur tank destroyer, a command and staff vehicle, an infantry fighting vehicle, and KBM variants with 120 and 60 mm guns were developed.

What's depressing

Such is the general outline the appearance of a "Centaur". As you can see, it is a completely modern lightly armored combat vehicle. At the same time, its armament is at the level of a main battle tank (especially if a 120-mm smoothbore gun with a barrel length of 45 calibers is installed), and its tactical mobility is significantly higher. "Centaur" can truly be considered one of the best examples in its class.

All this is true, the reader will say, even though the Centaur is a good car, the question is not how good it is, but how necessary it is for the Russian army. Russia seems to have no overseas regions with rebels, nor large desert areas. True, there are rebels on their own territory and restless and poorly predicted southern neighbors. In addition, the Russian Federation is not Europe, where after traveling 300 kilometers you can get to another country. Even in the European part, the distance between regional centers is sometimes twice as large. In such conditions, it is hardly worth neglecting the possibility of quickly transferring a motorized rifle formation to a given area under its own power. Indeed, in some cases, transportation by air or rail will take much more time. True, rapid transfer under its own power is only possible if there is no tracked vehicle formation in service.

In short, the Centaur is ideally suited for equipping mobile forces or rapid deployment forces. Vehicles of this class would be useful to both the Marine Corps and the Airborne Forces. KBM could replace tanks in light motorized rifle brigades, if, of course, the formation of such formations is provided for by military reform. As part of other formations of the Russian army - classic tank and motorized rifle brigades, the niche for vehicles like the Centaur is poorly visible. Contrary to some opinions, the Centaur is not a reconnaissance vehicle, but a fire support vehicle or a tank destroyer.

And what’s depressing here is not the fact of turning to imported equipment, since, unlike the Lynx, the Centaur really has no analogue in Russia. In terms of purpose, the 2S25 Sprut-SD self-propelled gun is closest to it, but it has a tracked chassis and is clearly not needed by the Russian army in its present form. Some demon prompts me to think sadly systems approach.

Logically, it is necessary to create a whole range of wheeled armored vehicles on a single platform. There is an example to follow - the Stryker KBM family. Based on an armored personnel carrier with an 8x8 wheel arrangement, a reconnaissance vehicle, a 120-mm self-propelled mortar, a command post, engineering and sanitary evacuation vehicle, a self-propelled ATGM, a radiation-chemical reconnaissance vehicle and, finally, a fire support vehicle with a 105-mm gun were developed. A 155 mm self-propelled howitzer is being designed. The mechanized Stryker brigades of the US ground forces are equipped with all this equipment. The armies of many other countries are now following the same path. There is no need to explain how the presence of a single chassis reduces the cost of production and operation of combat vehicles and facilitates the training of personnel. If the Centaur is adopted by the Russian Army, there can be no talk of any unification.

To be fair, it should be noted that we also made attempts to design unified families of combat vehicles on the chassis of wheeled armored personnel carriers, but again, they were somewhat haphazard. The BTR-60 served mainly as the basis for numerous command posts, control vehicles, etc. The same can be said about the BTR-70 - things did not go further than the creation of communication vehicles and mobile command posts. However, in 1968-1973, the Central Research Institute "Burevestnik" (the main research institute for medium and large caliber artillery weapons) developed the 85-mm towed anti-tank gun 2A55 "Zhalo-B" and the 85-mm self-propelled anti-tank gun 2S14 "Zhalo-S". The latter was a rotating turret with a gun mounted on the hull of the BTR-70. To do this, the troop compartment in the armored personnel carrier had to be eliminated. Both systems successfully passed field tests, but were not accepted for service. The fact is that the armor penetration of the 85-mm sub-caliber projectile was 1.5 times less than that of the ammunition of the 125-mm D-81 tank gun. Apparently, this was the main reason for the cessation of work on the “Sting” guns. The prototype 2S14 is now in the tank museum in Kubinka.

The BTR-80 was a little more lucky - in addition to various kinds command and staff vehicles on its basis were created BREM, an armored medical vehicle, an RKhM vehicle and a self-propelled 120-mm gun “Nona-SVK”. However, it did not become a real unified platform for the KBM.

It was possible to create a more or less full-fledged fire support vehicle only on the BTR-90 chassis. We are talking about a vehicle with a Bakhcha-U combat module and a weapon system equivalent to the BMP-3, demonstrated at the IDEX-2001 exhibition.

Apparently, the reason for the failures in creating KBM with heavy weapons on the chassis of domestic armored personnel carriers was their layout. Western armored personnel carriers with a rear-mounted troop compartment are much better suited for placing heavy weapons.

So, we are convinced that there is a place for the Centaur in the Russian army. Such a machine would clearly not be superfluous. But a systematic approach is required, it is necessary to develop a domestic armored vehicle of this class based on the unified 8x8 platform and within the framework of the KBM family. We don’t need “Centaur” in its present form. As a temporary measure, the appearance of some kind of intermediate synthesized sample, for example, a chassis from the “Centaur”, but with a turret from the “Octopus” or something like that, is in principle acceptable. In the end, the weapons on the Centaur are not suitable for us in any case. Or did the Ministry of Defense decide to switch to NATO calibers? We wouldn't be the last to know about it.

And in general, everything is happening somehow strangely. How they chose “Mistral” (and why?) is unclear, “Lynx” is also unclear. Now here is "Centaur". And why, in fact, “Centaur”? Why not Ruikat or some Mowag? Why Italians again, IVECO again? Or does the Ministry of Defense not know about the existence of other types of KBM with heavy weapons? If we are talking only about familiarization, then it’s okay. If it’s about purchasing a license, then it becomes somehow sad because there is no alternative to the choice and the secretiveness of the process. Alas, not the first time.

Material from the site.