Fiat Iveco / Oto Melara B1 “Centaur”

FIAT IVECO / OTO Melara B1 “Centaur”

   In 1984, the command of the Italian Army has formulated requirements for highly mobile wheeled tank destroyer, armed 105-mm rifled gun ballistics similar guns of tanks Leopard -1 and M60A1. Sighting System tools had to be unified with the fire control system perspective main battle tank “Ariete” and tracked BMP VCC-80. Terms of reference have been developed in an integrated program of upgrading the Army. Heavy armored vehicles assigned the role of main battle tanks.

Work on “wheeled tank” OTO Melara started firms and Fiat in late 1984 and based on the experience of creating in 1982-1983. Fiat 6636 armored 6×6. Installation of the tower with a 105-mm gun increases the mass of the machine at least 6.7 m, so we had to add a fourth three-axis, so as not deteriorated cross machine. Selecting dimensions car driven by an intractable problem of compromise between the need for greater internal volume of housing to accommodate turret turrets and restrictions imposed by the size of the load compartment military transport plane C-130 Hercules.

In April 1985, began testing the demo machine without reservation. The main aim of the tests was to develop the chassis, especially the new hydropneumatic suspension of the wheels, and check the layout making machine for ease of maintenance 105-mm guns.

The first machine in-1 with full armor and defensive weaponry was handed over to the test in January 1987, before the end of the year it was followed by five more. Just trials involved ten armored B-1 pilot batch. In 1990, the Italian armed forces were the first ten armored B-1 “Centaur”, and in 1991 started their full-scale production at a factory the company IVECO Fiat in Bolzano with the rate of release of ten cars a month.

It should be noted that the armored car in-1 “Centaur” occupies a special place among the armored wheeled vehicles. Formally, it is classified as a BRM – combat reconnaissance vehicle, but that is not quite correct. Extremely powerful weapon for wheeled vehicles (105-mm rifled gun with a high muzzle velocity) allows for the machine to remove the quotes around the phrase “wheeled tank”, the more so in the army of Italy “Centaurs” and replaced the tanks – the American M47 .

Corps armored welded steel bronelistov different thicknesses. In the frontal part of the armor is resistant to penetration of 20-mm shells, with the stern and sides – to the penetration of bullets caliber 12,7 mm. Engine-transmission compartment located in front of the case on the right side. Engine – diesel engine water-cooled six-cylinder turbocharged Fiat IVECO MTSA V-6 capacity of 520 liters. with. In addition to armored “Centaur” various options for diesel V-6 mounted on tracked BMP VCC-80, Argentina’s tank TAM and Italian main battle tank “Ariete”. On the machine used zapadnogermanskaya six-speed automatic (five – next one – back) gearbox ZF SHP-1500. The engine cooling system and gearbox constructively implemented as a single unit and separated from the rest of the hull firebreak. In the engine-transmission compartment installed automatic fire extinguishing system and alarm.

To the left of the power pack compartment are located separation of management from the driver (the driver’s seat adjustable for height). Outside of combat the driver drives a car, watching the countryside through the open hatch. In combat, surveillance is conducted through three periscope observation devices. Instead, the central supervisory unit can be installed bespodsvetochny night vision device.

The central part of the shell occupied by fuel tanks and Polikom tower. In the stern there are two combat pack of 12 shells for the gun, batteries, filter installation and hydraulic winch with a pulling force of 10 tonnes in the stern hatch broneliste is used to load ammunition.

All eight wheels – leading, the first two couples – controlled, but at speeds up to 20 km / h can be rotated and the rear pair of wheels. Office of the wheels by means of servo. Suspension wheel independent hydropneumatic. The machine is equipped with a system of centralized control of air pressure in tires. All wheels are equipped with disc brakes.

Triple tower, armed with 105-mm cannon LR length of 52 calibres, developed by OTO Melara. It is installed closer to the hull rear. The commander of the armored car is left of the gun, gunner – right, the loader – the rear gunner. Hatches in the roof of the shell are located above the seats the commander and loader.

LR gun internal ballistics similar to the 105-mm tank gun L7/M68. The gun is equipped with a device blowing the bore after firing, high-performance, absorbing up to 40% returns, muzzle brake and Thermal protective casing. Impact guns when fired at 14 m, to extinguish it has a special hydro-pneumatic recoil system with 750 mm recoil after firing. Shooting is available all the standard 105-mm shells NATO, including cumulative. Ammunition to the gun, 40 rounds, 14 of them are stored directly in the tower. With instrument paired 7.62-mm machine gun M42/59 (installed on the left side of the gun), another machine can be installed on the roof of the tower. Ammunition to machine guns 4000 rounds. The sides of the tower has four smoke grenade.

The rotation of the tower and the gun laying in the vertical plane by means of electrohydraulic drives. The angles of elevation of the gun -6 ° to +15 °.

At the armored car installed modular fire control system company Galileo. Its main subsystems are the commander and gunner’s sights, a digital ballistic computer, atmospheric sensors, indicators and control panel, gunner, commander and loader. The commander of the armored car has a stabilized daily panoramic sight with 2,5 – and 10-fold magnification. At the sight integrated electron-optical image intensifier, which allows to monitor and aiming in low light conditions. The sight has a circular rotation in the horizontal plane in the vertical – from -10 ° to +60 °. I installed a combined stabilized gunner’s day / night sight with integrated laser rangefinder. Daytime TV has a 5-fold increase, the image from the infrared channel is duplicated on the indicator, adjacent to the commander’s seat. Shooter has also paired with the main telescope sight with an 8-fold magnification. The commander oversees the left sector through four periscope viewing device, gunner – for the right five fixed periscope observation devices. Ballistic computer is based on 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, to fire on the move “Centaur” can not.

But the test results of the first six cars in the construction of some changes: several reduced the width of the shell (for more convenient placement in the “womb” C-130), attached to the bottom of a small V-shaped for better mine protection, the size of the hatch in the stern armor-sheet reduced .

Serial production of armored vehicles in-1 “Centaur” was completed in 1996. At the armed bronekavaleriyskih three regiments of the Italian army was transferred to 400 cars. Interest in the armored car of this type takes command of the armed forces of Spain, which intends to purchase 30 wheeled tanks.

The check in combat armored vehicles. “Centaur” took place during an operation “Restore Hope”, held in Somalia under UN auspices. In late 1992, eight wheeled tanks from the 19 th Cavalry Regiment were sent to the African continent in the hybrid armored company (except the “Centaur” it included five M60A1 tanks). Heavy machinery have increased two airborne regiments, formed the backbone of the Italian contingent of UN forces. “Centaurs” are widely used for reconnaissance raids, blockade the main transportation routes separatists and escorting convoys with humanitarian cargo. During the first four months of 1993, seven armored cars were wrapped in 8400 km of Somali highway and off-road. For all the time, there were no serious cases of denial techniques. Eighth machine is not used, because immediately upon arrival in Somalia, she has failed engine. Until the end the UN mission in Somalia eighth Centaur put in operation, and from Italy moved two more cars.

In terms of permanent damage to tires is particularly well-proven system of centralized control the pressure in pneumatic, puncture save it certainly could not, but to complete the task allowed.

For the whole company of worthy goals for the 105-mm guns was found, are fired only at target practice at a makeshift firing range in the Dzhialalksi. But very useful to the commander’s panoramic sight of electron-optical amplifier image. “Centaurs” is often used as mobile observation posts along the Imperial Highway. Machines took up positions about 500 meters from the road and the crews, using the sights as night-vision equipment, tracked the nightlife, if necessary, putting on the suspicious its manifestations Italian patrols.

It is not enough powerful VHF radios have been installed in armored vehicles, was considered necessary to have a HF radio station medium-range at least for a command vehicle. Ironically in a very hot climate, the crews did not use air conditioning system, preferring to plow open all the hatches.

In Somalia, were typical counterinsurgency operation. The enemy had been poorly armed and poorly trained, however, quickly revealed that the body armor “Centaur” (as well as all other armored cars) is clearly not enough, she did not “hold” armor-piercing bullets DShK, not to mention grenades RPG – 7. Urgently British firm Royal Ordnens were ordered twenty sets of blocks of the dynamic protection of the tower and the hull sides ROMOR-A. Ten sets were installed on the “Somali” Centaurs “.

In the summer of 1997, “Centaurs”, together with the Fiat 6614 armored vehicles Guards cavalry regiment took taught in “Operation Alba” to prevent civil war in Albania.
“Centaur” II

In 1996, the Italian armed forces have issued technical requirements for wheeled tank “Centaur” second generation. The prototype was manufactured in the same year and in 1997 was referred to the test. Aft part of the hull was lengthened by 335 mm, which allowed to increase its internal volume. Ammo for the 105-mm gun on the new version of the BRM “Centaur” is placed only in the tower, and an enlarged aft compartment equipped with seats for four soldiers with full arms. Around the tower installed additional bronelisty, the upper part of the two rear pairs of wheels are covered with screens made of steel bronelistov. As a result, refinements fighting machine weight increased by 1 ton, ammo shells to the gun fell from 40 to 16. It is expected that the Army of Italy will order 150 armored “Centaur” II for use as an armored reconnaissance vehicles.
BTR “Centaur”

Experienced APC was built in 1996. Machine housing has been extended for a further 80 mm compared to the “Centaur” II, also increased, and the wheelbase of 4,5 m to 4,8 m. The ergonomic reasons, it’s made above the height of the roof of the APC hull is 1,93 m compared with 1,75 m at the “Centaur”. The experience of peacekeeping operations in Somalia demonstrated the need to strengthen the body armor: armor BTR withstand falling 12.7-mm armor-piercing bullets in the rear part and with the sides, and in the front – getting 25-mm projectiles. In the demo machine was installed twin tower OTO Breda, armed with 20-mm automatic gun and not coupled to 7.62-mm machine gun. In the tests, 20-mm cannon was replaced by 25 mm cannon. In the configuration with fixed tower BTR crew consists of three (commander, gunner, driver), and six more troopers placed in the after the fighting compartment. BTR Combat weight – 24 tons Bezbashennyj APCs on the basis of “Centaur” can carry 11 people, including the driver.

Armored personnel carrier on the basis of “Centaur” meets almost all requirements of the army of France to the prospective wheeled car VBM, Germany’s army to the car GTK and the army of Great Britain to the armored car MRAV. The only exception is the width of the machine, since the armed forces of France and Germany to restrict the width of the forward-looking armored three meters, while the width of the APCs on the basis of “Centaur” – 3,28 m. To reduce the width of the APCs is possible due to the withdrawal of additional body armor or replacing it another type. It is likely that the bids will take part in the competition for the supply of wheeled armored vehicles for the armed forces of those countries.

In 1999, the Italian Defense Ministry signed a contract providing for the development of armored personnel carriers on the basis of command and staff car, health and recovery vehicles, self-propelled mortars and antitank guided missile carrier. Italian army plans to buy 240 cars of all modifications. The width of the base model, designed for Italy, reduced to 3 m.

An anti-version will be installed on a rotating tower GR Breda HITFIST. The turret mounted 25 mm automatic cannon Oerlikon Kontravers, coaxial 7,62 mm machine gun and two launchers ATGM TOW.

Command-staff vehicle has increased the height of the fighting compartment (total height of the machine on the roof of the shell 2,1 m). Armament – 12,7 mm machine gun fire at the pivot setting. Loopholes in the hull sides and a ramp at KSHM absent.

Option of self-propelled mortar involves the installation of 120-mm smoothbore mortars TDA on the swivel base inside the crew compartment. Shooting is done through a large folding sunroof housing. Will be used for self-caliber machine gun 12,7 mm on the pivot setting. Crew of self-propelled mortar consists of commander, driver and four people fighting crew.

On the basis of armored “Centaur” was created and tested 155-mm self-propelled gun.

Wheel Arrangement ………………………………………… .. 8×8
Combat weight, kg ………………………………………. .24.800
Length, m ………………………………………. .. 7.40
Length with gun forward, m …………………………………. 8.56
Width, m ……………………………………….. …….. 2.94
Height of shell, m ………………………………………. . 1.75
The height of the roof of the tower, m …………………………………. 2.44
Wheelbase, m ……………………………….. 1.60 / 1.45 / 1.45
Gauge, m ………………………………………. … 2.51
Ground clearance, m ……………………………………… 0.42
Maximum road speed, km / h ……………………….. 108
Cruising on the highway, km …………………………………… 800
Fuel tank capacity, l ………………………………… 540
Obstacles:
recovery …………………………………………. ……….. 60%
height of the wall, m ………………………………………. .. 0.55
width of the trench, M. ……………………………………… .. 1.55
depth of the ford, M. ……………………………………… …. 1.2
Crew. ………………………………………….. ….. 4