Dawes Posted March 20, 2020 Share Posted March 20, 2020 This is one vehicle that seems to be below the radar as far as publicity. Has it entered service in any numbers with Italy yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptLuke Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 This is one vehicle that seems to be below the radar as far as publicity. Has it entered service in any numbers with Italy yet? I can't find any orders past the first 10, though supposedly they wanted 136. It seems like they may be focusing the production line on the Freccia APC variant (30 more ordered in December 2019). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
methos Posted March 21, 2020 Share Posted March 21, 2020 The Centauro II is still in the development, only pre-series vehicles have been delivered. Based on the performance in the trials a number of required changes have been identified and will be implemented on the second generation of prototypes. As far as I know no such prototype has yet been built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted March 22, 2020 Author Share Posted March 22, 2020 What is the mission of such a vehicle? Infantry support? Tank destroyer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shep854 Posted March 22, 2020 Share Posted March 22, 2020 I've generally seen the Centauro described as a wheeled tank destroyer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobu Posted March 23, 2020 Share Posted March 23, 2020 Heavy reconnaissance combined with flank protection, possibly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucklucky Posted March 25, 2020 Share Posted March 25, 2020 (edited) Everything until you bring the tanks, And even then...basically Italians are currently not interested in track vehicles. https://www.facebook.com/EsercitoItaliano/photos/a.576347829044577/3076544562358212/?type=3&theater Edited March 25, 2020 by lucklucky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptLuke Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Ref mission, it's worth remembering that US WWII tank destroyers, which were even more optimized for the role than the Centauro, did a lot of direct infantry support, a large amount of indirect fire, and, for the M18 in particular, were used to add firepower to recon/cavalry troops. When the TD units ran out of tanks to shoot at, they found other roles, since they represented too much combat power to leave sitting around; nevertheless they were properly called Tank Destroyers. IIRC, the original conception of the Centauro was to provide a highly mobile anti-tank force, trading off armor and even some cross country mobility to do so, so the "Tank Destroyer" label seems appropriate but, as in WWII, that doesn't mean they won't be used for infantry support or "Heavy reconnaissance combined with flank protection" as the situation demands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
methos Posted March 26, 2020 Share Posted March 26, 2020 Everything until you bring the tanks, And even then...basically Italians are currently not interested in track vehicles.They are very interested in tracked vehicle. They are leading an EU-funded project to develop next-generation APCs and IFVs for a number of member states, while they also have been toying with the idea of making their own next-generation MBT due to the exclusiveness of the MGCS program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 Has the Ariete proven satisfactory in service? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Peter Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Tan Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 What does it do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETAC21 Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 5 hours ago, Simon Tan said: What does it do? Everything that your technical Toyota Hilux does, bur more expensively Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohala Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Does a Toyota Hilux have a 120mm gun on it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Tan Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 It can carry nice missile launcher with similar effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETAC21 Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 47 minutes ago, rohala said: Does a Toyota Hilux have a 120mm gun on it? Does it make sense to buy a 120mm gun and then not armor it appropiately? what does Centaruo 2 bring to the game that a MBT doesn't or why invest in Centauro 2 when the Toyota will be stealthier, cheaper and more affordable in numbers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojan Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 "Expeditionary warfare" buzzword. Policing the colonies, where whole wheeled IFV fad came from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahawk Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Considering many roads in Italy, it can probably go some places (and faster) a tank can not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ssnake Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Back in the days when Italy expected a WP push across the Adriatic, having a mobile gun platform with high operational mobility wasn't such a bad idea. The concept was, AIUI, mostly driven by the limited capacity of a lot of bridges in the expected area of operations. Whether this follow-on vehicle was strictly necessary, well, ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seahawk Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 Considering they probably did not built new bridges, probably yes. Afaik it was popular when deployed as well. Good firepower, fast, easy to keep running, silent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RETAC21 Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 25 minutes ago, bojan said: "Expeditionary warfare" buzzword. Policing the colonies, where whole wheeled IFV fad came from. And it's a good idea, for which Centauro 1 is good enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Tan Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 If the bridges cannot take Class 50.....how do the sneaky Rooskis drive T-90s over them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dawes Posted November 8, 2020 Author Share Posted November 8, 2020 (edited) Centauro 2 is fast reaction when those waves of Albanian landing craft starting hitting the Italian beaches... You could probably drive this vehicle around Fort Hood or Fort Bragg and everyone would think it was just a dramatically upgunned Stryker Edited November 8, 2020 by Dawes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojan Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 17 minutes ago, RETAC21 said: And it's a good idea, for which Centauro 1 is good enough For such work you don't need gun with AT capabilities at all. Modern AML-60 or something similar would work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bojan Posted November 8, 2020 Share Posted November 8, 2020 25 minutes ago, seahawk said: ...Afaik it was popular when deployed as well. Good firepower, fast, easy to keep running, silent. Fact that a vehicle is popular does not guarantee that a role for it is valid one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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