Italian Navy to acquire 36 state-of-the-art Amphibious Armoured Vehicles

Europe, News January 14, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Italian Navy has ordered 36 Amphibious Armoured Vehicles Personnel Carrier from Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV), the defense firm announced on January 10, 2023.

According to a statement released by the IDV, the state-of-the-art amphibious vehicles will reinforce the fleet of the Italian Navy’s Military force unit San Marco Marina Brigade, and will effectively increase the Sea Projection National Capability.

The Directorate of Land Armaments signed a contract with IDV on December 22, 2022, for the supply of 36 Amphibious Armoured Vehicles (VBA) to the Italian Navy. “The contract comes as part of the program to renew and extend the vehicles’ fleet for National Defence, aimed at increasing the Sea Projection National Capability of the Italian Navy,” IDV statement read.

“The VBA is an 8×8 all-terrain vehicle, capable of being launched and recovered from an amphibious vessel in open ocean and offering at the same time excellent mobility and high-level ballistic, anti-mine and anti-IED protection,” the statement highlighted.

According to the company’s release, the Amphibious Armoured Vehicles for the Italian Navy is based on the SUPERAV 8×8, the amphibious vehicle platform used for the US Marine Corps ACV (Amphibious Combat Vehicle), which is provided in partnership with BAE Systems.

*^{Iveco Defence Vehicles’ SUPERAV 8×8 Amphibious Combat Vehicles. (Image Credit: Iveco Defence)}*

The armored vehicles have an extra layer of protection with a high-hardness monocoque steel hull, direct-fire ballistic armor, A/T mines protection, anti-mine seats, and an automatic fire suppression system. The amphibious vehicle can carry up to 3 crew and 13 troops in 18m3 in the protected area and they can be used in all terrain.

The vehicle has a new 6-cylinder with a 700 horsepower engine and a speed of 6 knots (11 kilometers per hour) and more than 100 km/h on land. It has modern armament, a remotely controlled weapons station, and mounting weapons of up to 40mm caliber. The platform is also equipped with a HITROLE Light remote turret, supplied by Leonardo, with a 12.7mm caliber weapon and latest generation C4 systems.

The IDV release read, “The 700HP FPT Cursor 16 engine, combined with an automatic 7-speed gearbox and an H-driveline, derived from the Centauro and the VBM Freccia, provides the VBA with a maximum on-road speed of 105 km/h, while the two rear-mounted hydraulic propellers guarantee the navigation beyond “Sea State 3″ and a top speed of 6 knots.”