Ministero Difesa: sbloccati 7 miliardi di euro di investimenti dal MISE
Il Ministero dello Sviluppo Economico di concerto con il Ministero della Difesa, ha ratificato un impegno di oltre 7 miliardi di euro su programmi pluriennali della Difesa.
Tra i programmi sbloccati, sono presenti anche due voci di investimento per la Società consortile Iveco - Oto Melara, che prevedono i programmi: VBM 8x8 “Freccia” e Blindo Centauro II.
Die Stückzahlen dieser neuen Tranche wären interessant.
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Der Centauro II ist vor ein par Jahren in einem Fahrsicherheitszentrum in der Nähe von Bozen getestet worden (Das abgeplante Gelände, das teilweise dahinter zu sehen ist, ist eine Mülldeponie.):
Iveco-Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) signs contract with the Italian Ministry of Defence for 10 Centauro II armoured vehicles
Today the Iveco-Oto Melara Consortium (CIO), which is 50% owned by Leonardo, signed a contract worth 159 million Euros with the Italian Ministry of Defence for the acquisition of the first 10 new Centauro II armoured vehicles.
This is the first tranche out of a total 136 units. The contract also includes spares and logistic support. The contract value for Leonardo amounts to approximately 92 million Euros.
Die Tests mit dem Vorserienfahrzeug des "Centauro II" führten zu Modifikationen der Fahrzeugkonfiguration, die nun als "Centauro II 2.0" bezeichnet wird.
Chassis
Upgrade der Fahrzeugelektrik
Vergrößerung des Sichtfelds für den Fahrer durch Einbau eines neuen Periskopblocks
Möglichkeit, die Türen bis auf 180° zu öffnen
Einbau eines manuellen Notsystems zur Munitionshandhabung (Der Centauro II verfügt über ein halbautomatisches Ladesystem mit sechs Granaten in einem Revolvermagazin direkt am Geschütz, 6 Granaten im Turm und 19 Granaten in zwei Magazinen im Chassis, mit 10 bzw. 9 Granaten, die durch eine gepanzerte Tür zugänglich sind, welche den Turmkorb und den hinteren Bereich des Chassis trennt. Der Bordschütze muss nur die gewünschte Munition auswählen und das Ladesystem, das bis zu drei Munitionssorten verwalten kann, stellt die Granate bereit. Das halbautomatische Ladesystem ermöglicht eine Kadenz von 6 Schuss/Minute.)
Turm
Während der Erprobung wurde entschieden, die Waffenstation HITROLE in Bezug auf die Kanonenachse um 30° nach rechts zu verlegen. Dadurch erhöht sich das Sichtfeld des Sichtsystems ATTILA des Fahrzeugkommandanten.
Die 4 GALIX-Werfer wurden beim "Centauro II 2.0" durch 8 Rheinmetall ROSY-L ersetzt. Die Position der Werfer bleibt dieselbe - für einen GALIX-Werfer werden 2 ROSY-L eingebaut. Das Laserwarnsystem Leonardo RALM V02 wird beibehalten.
Beim IED-Jammer Leonardo Guardian H3 wird eine neue Lösung untersucht. Die vier ovalen Antennen an der Seite des Turms sollen mit einer einzelnen Rundantenne direkt auf der Spitze der Wetterstation an der Oberseite des Turms ersetzt werden.
Der erste "Centauro II" soll im ersten Quartal 2021 geliefert werden, gefolgt von 10 Fahrzeugen im ersten Quartal 2022. Das Vorserienfahrzeug wird für Versuche beibehalten. Nur die die ersten vier Fahrzeuge werden definitiv der Konfiguration 2.0 entsprechen, während es für die folgenden Fahrzeuge weitere Modifikationen geben könnte (Es ist auch die Rede von einer möglichen Version 3.0).
In late May the Italian General Secretariat of Defence issued a contract authorization aimed at acquiring 40 8×8 Centauro II armoured cars armed with the 120 mm gun, in the 3.0 integrated configuration.
The 40 vehicles batch is already financed, the industry hoping the contract might be signed within summer. It will include also four sets of maintenance equipment for the chassis and turrets, a workshop tent, two recovery tents, and a series of further support services. It also includes the extension from 3 to 10 years of the logistic support for the first batch of Centauro II, as well as the 10 years maintenance for the new vehicles. The main difference of 3.0 vehicles is the integration into the gun breach and into the fire control system of the provisions for allowing the use of Rheinmetall’s programmable 120 mm HE DM 11 round.
The vehicle prototype is currently being upgraded by the CIO to the 3.0 configuration; the modification required have already been designed and tested however they have not yet been integrated on the vehicle, thus Spetember 2020 will be dedicated to finalising the qualification before starting the production of the new batch; The first vehicles might be produced without the 3.0 upgrade but will then be retrofitted.
This will probably not be true for the 10 Centauro II of the first batch, the CIO aiming at delivering the first two within year end, the other eight following in 2021.
The contract authorisation also includes an optional package for 56 more Centauro II together with a further package of support equipment. This will be eventually signed later in 2020, should funding be available.
The Italian Army aims at acquiring 150 Centauro II that will be deployed within eight Cavalry regiments and one Tank regiment, each receiving 13 vehicles to equip one squadron/company.
Italian 3.0 Centauro II procurement remains unfinalised
As the Italian MoD and the Iveco-Oto Melara (CIO) consortium continue negotiations, details remain undefined of a plan to acquire 40 8×8 Centauro II armoured vehicles in the 3.0 integrated configuration for the Italian Army.
A spokesperson for CIO (a 50:50 partnership between Iveco Defence Vehicles and Leonardo subsidiary Oto Melara) confirmed to Shephard that the consortium cannot forecast when the agreement is likely to be signed, adding: ‘The contract is still in the phase of negotiation and, nowadays [in the economic context of COVID-19], we still do not know how long this negotiation is going to be.'
CIO and the MoD have been discussing the agreement since late May when the Italian General Secretariat of Defence issued a EUR 1.16 billion (US$1.79 billion) contract authorisation to acquire 40 Centauro IIs armed with a 120mm gun.
This deal also includes the option for the procurement of additional 56 platforms.
The 3.0 integrated configuration features a more compact antenna for the counter-radio controlled IED system, and modifications to the fire-control system to allow the use of Rheinmetall DM11 programmable 120mm HE round. In contrast, the older Centauro I is armed with a 105mm gun.
The 120mm HE round consists of warhead with a programmable fuse as well as a ballistic cowl, tailfin assembly, drive band, combustible casing with propelling charge and an integrated data cable for programming.
Compared to the previous 2.0 configuration, the new version also enhances driver vision. Other features include Rheinmetall ROSY smoke dischargers and a new position for the Leonardo Hitrole Light RWS, in order to improve vision from the Leonardo Attila D panoramic sight.
Although CIO has conducted tests with the 3.0 vehicles, the spokesperson explained that the consortium cannot predict when the 8×8 wheeled platform will qualify for entry into service.
Approvazione del programma pluriennale di A/R n. SMD07/2020, relativo all'approvvigionamento di 100 veicoli di nuova blindo centauro
Atto del Governo 216
Nach der Beschaffung von zunächst 10 "Centauro 2" für 159 Mio. EUR (2018) und 40 "Centauro 2" für 371 Mio. EUR folgen nun weitere hundert Panzerfahrzeuge für 788,95 Mio. EUR.
On the 30th December 2020 at Guidoni Palace, headquarters of the General Secretariat of Defence and of the National Armaments Directorate, the Land Armaments Director Lieutenant General Paolo Giovannini and the Commercial Director of the Iveco – Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) Dr. Eng. Giovanni Luisi, signed a contract for 86 Centauro II armoured vehicles, plus 10 additional units in option, integrated logistic support and equipment.
Chief of Staff of the Italian Army, Lt. Gen. Salvatore Farina visited Bolzano for the presentation of the first production unit of Centauro 2
On February 16th, the Italian Army Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Salvatore Farina, was welcomed by Claudio Catalano, CEO of IVECO Defence Vehicles, at the Bolzano plant where the new Centauro 2 are currently in production. These vehicles are going to be part of the cavalry units of the Italian Army.
The Director of Land Armaments, Lt. Gen. Paolo Giovannini, was also present. During the visit, the work in progress on the vehicles was discussed and the first production vehicle was presented.