B1 Centaur wheeled armored vehicle A combat unit of the Italian Army main gun firing
At the end of April, Italy plans to transfer a batch of new military technical assistance to Ukraine in the form of a certain number of different types of armored fighting vehicles . In particular, the delivery of the wheeled armored vehicle B1 Centaur. In April this year, such equipment was not included in the final aid plan, but in recent days, news of its possible transfer to the Ukrainian army has resurfaced in the media.
Technical assistance
The intention of the Italian leadership to help the Kiev regime with armored vehicles became known during the Spring Festival. On April 24 it was reported that a decision had been made. At that time, the Ministry of Defense was studying existing equipment and looking for armored vehicles that could be transferred to Ukraine without compromising Italy's own combat capabilities and security. It is therefore planned to make recommendations to the government and approve a specific supply plan.
The Italian Ministry of Defense is reportedly considering placing some samples in weapons and storage. In particular, the possibility of delivering the heavy weapon ("wheeled armor") B1 Centaur was explored. The quantity of these items was not specified -.
Soon, Italy confirmed that it had shipped various weapons and equipment to Ukraine. However, among these deliveries there were no obsolete wheeled armored vehicles. They were also not seen in the media. Apparently the Italian Ministry of Defense refuses such equipment to be shipped abroad.
No new B1 Centaur shipments have been reported since the end of April. However, the media broke the news again a few days ago. The possibility of supplying such equipment was again mentioned, but no details were disclosed. Yet another option cannot be ruled out - Italy could have carried out the necessary activities and therefore decided to share its btw.
The question becomes relevant if a decision is indeed made to transfer wheeled armored vehicles. It is necessary to know how much equipment can be transferred, what condition it will be in, and how long it will take to deliver it to the recipient. Questions about personnel training, possible deployment and combat use also remain unresolved. These issues are also unknown due to a lack of information on supply plans so far.
Wheeled Alternatives
Wheeled Armored Vehicle The development of the B1 Centaur was carried out in the 1980s for the Italian Ministry of Defense. The Army wanted an armored vehicle that could achieve the firepower level of the Leopard 1 tank and increase mobility. Several companies from different industries are involved in the development of the project. For example, Iveco and Fiat are responsible for the development of wheeled chassis, while OTO Melara is responsible for the introduction of combat units and weapons systems. The development and testing of
experimental equipment was completed in the mid-1980s. Then start manufacturing. The first Centaur was delivered to a customer in 1991. At the same time, existing projects were developed. Wheeled armored vehicles received more powerful weapons, in addition, repair and evacuation vehicles, wheeled Fresia and several other models were developed on their chassis. Production of the
B1 Centaur continued until 2006, by which time approximately 500 machines in various modifications had been produced. The main customer of this equipment is Italy - 400 wheeled armored vehicles and ARVs were manufactured. In addition, Spain purchased 88 vehicles of both types. Oman The army has only ordered 9 upgraded BMTVs. In 10 years, the Italian army began to reduce its vehicles. 141 were eliminated and 259 are still in service.
In the early 2000s, several B1 Centaurs arrived in the United States for testing and evaluation. With their help, US Army gained experience operating its own Stryker BMTV. At the beginning of the 2010 year, armored vehicles with different weapons underwent evaluation tests in Russia. Significant weaknesses were discovered during these exercises, and Italian technology received a lower overall rating.
The Italian Centaur armored vehicle was used many times in actual operations. This type of technology has been used in Yugoslavia , Somalia , Iraq and Lebanon. Mainly used for patrolling important areas and escorting convoys. Wheeled armored vehicles had to fight, it turned out that they met the requirements of the local conflict.
Technical features
B1 Centaur is an armored fighting vehicle on a four-axle chassis, equipped with a mature turret and machine gun . Based on the customer's specifications, this BMTV combines the mobility of a wheeled armored vehicle with the firepower of previous generations of tanks. At the same time, the combat weight of the vehicle is within 24 tons and can be transported by air. Personnel - 4 people.
Centaur is built on the basis of a welded hull and a turret with ballistic and anti-fragment armor. It is equipped with circular protection against 14.5mm bullets and frontal protection against 25mm artillery shells. After the hinged armor plate is installed, the forehead can withstand shells with a caliber of 30 mm. The engine compartment and the driver's workplace are placed in the front part of the housing. The central and aft volumes are provided for a three-man combat squad with a tower.
chassis is equipped with a 520 horsepower Iveco V6 diesel engine. Power is distributed to all eight wheels via an automatic transmission from ZF and other transmissions . The chassis is built on the basis of "McPherson" type independent suspension. On the highway, the wheeled armored vehicle can accelerate to 105-108 km/h and has a cruising range of 800 kilometers.
In the base version, the Centaur is equipped with the 105mm OTO Melara cannon, based on the British L7. Ammunition consisted of 40 rounds: 14 were placed directly in the turret, the rest - in the hull. Auxiliary weapons - two 7.62 mm machine guns. The other is placed on an anti-aircraft device.
uses the TURMS fire control system, borrowed from the Ariete tank. It includes stabilized guns and gun sights , with day, night and rangefinders , digital ballistics computer and gun stabilizer. Both the gunner and the commander have automated workplaces.
Later, a new combat squad was developed, equipped with different turrets and enhanced weapons. It uses an Italian-designed 120mm smoothbore gun , similar to the famous Rh-120. These decisions were later used to develop the Centaur II project.
Questionable Acquisition
Overall, the BMTV B1 Centaur is considered a controversial armored vehicle model. The concept of "wheeled armored vehicles" has already generated doubts and doubts in its formation stage. In addition, the design features are not too high, and it has shown various shortcomings during testing and operation. Russian testers, for example, criticized Italian machines for their lack of reliability.
One of the goals of the Centaur project is to increase mobility and move quickly to the right location. In general, it has been solved. This type of wheeled armored vehicle can be transported by NATO's main military transport aircraft and can be transported over long distances without disassembly. In addition, high mobility facilitates patrolling and escorting convoys.
At the same time, the combat quality is not perfect. This machine only protects against small-caliber shells and bullets. Any larger caliber artillery or anti-tank system would at least destroy the Centaur's combat capabilities. It also does not exclude the defeat of important units and personnel, which completely removes the machine from the battle. The same applies to other means of destruction, up to and including missiles and bombs.
As needed, the armored vehicle is similar in firepower to the Leopard-1 tank . However, the L7 105mm gun cannot meet current requirements for a long time. It allows you to fight obsolete models of tanks as well as lightly armored vehicles, but for such purposes the gun is superfluous. At the same time, any tank's firepower poses a mortal danger. Additionally, some weaknesses of the MSA used were reported. In particular, it does not allow firing on the move.
leave or send
The B1 Centaur tank was built around an ambiguous concept, which resulted in a. The finished "wheeled armored vehicle" has a special proportion of combat and combat characteristics, which imposes restrictions on its combat use - or leads to unnecessary risks. Therefore, the Italian army, which is developing wheeled armored vehicles, is in no rush to abandon the traditional MBT.
A few months ago, questions arose about the possible transfer of the B1 Centaur to the Ukrainian army, but such deliveries have not yet begun.Perhaps Italy never intended to share such technology from the beginning, and the media published unconfirmed information. However, there may be another explanation. After assessing the details of combat operations in Ukraine, the Italian command decided not to risk its equipment and industrial reputation. Therefore, all B1 Centaurs will remain with their units.
