Italy to spend nearly $1 billion on upgrading its Ariete tanks

Europe, News August 7, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

Italy has signed a contract worth $928 million with Iveco-Oto Melara Consortium (CIO) to upgrade its aging fleet of Ariete tanks. About 90 Ariete tanks would be upgraded in the first phase, with an option for 35 more tanks in the future.

The Armaments Directorate of the Italian Army signed the contract with the local defense consortium CIO, a joint venture between two Italian firms Iveco and Oto Melara. The most notable upgrade would allow the tanks to have a factory-level modernization of their FIAT-Iveco 12V MTCA engines.

The contract for the upgradation of 90 tanks spans from 2023 to 2030. The contract also allows the refurbishing of 35 more tanks within the same span of time with an additional payment of $165 million.

Italy has a fleet of 200 Ariete C1 tanks, however, only 50 of these tanks are currently operational. After the upgradation is completed, the Ariete tanks will carry a designation of Ariete C2. 200 Ariete tanks were exclusively developed for the Italian army between 1985 and 2002. The development of Areite 2 tanks was scrapped due to the end of the Cold War. Currently, only three tanks battalions in the Italian army operate the Ariete C1 tanks.

The latest contract between the Italian army and CIO would focus on upgrading the tank engines by replacing the cylinders, pistons, and crankshafts. The engine would also be equipped with digital control and a Bosch Common Rail injection system, a dual turbocharger system, heated fuel filters, Webasto diesel radiators for temperatures below -25°C, and a heat exchanger cooling system are also installed.

^{Italy’s Ariete tank, firing at a target, during the Strong Europe Tank Challenge (SETC), at the 7th Army Joint Multinational Training Command’s Grafenwoehr Training Area, Grafenwoehr, Germany, on May 12, 2016. (Image Credit: U.S. Army/Spc. Nathanael Mercado)}

As per the armaments, the upgrades would allow modernization of the fire control system in the tanks which would make it comparable to the system on the new Italian gun-armed Centauro 2-wheeled vehicle. The upgrades would provide a panoramic commander’s sight Attila-D and a new gunner’s sight Lotar-SD, both being third-generation thermal imagers.

The tank will also have a modernized anti-mine system, fire suppression gear, new smoke grenade launchers, and additional modular protection to the turret. The existing 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun would be replaced by a 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun.

Separately, Italy also signed nearly a $1 billion deal with Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, a joint venture consisting of Fincantieri and Leonardo, for the construction of three next-generation offshore patrol vessels, with the options for a further three units. Italian Navy is set to acquire three 95-meter-long vessels with a displacement capacity of 2,300 tons and able to accommodate 97 crew members.

Italy has increased its defense spending at an exponential rate following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, however, unlike its other European counterparts, Italian defense spending is largely focused on providing contracts to local defense manufacturers.