The Government of Italy will acquire 36 armored 8×8 amphibians to Iveco Defense Vehicles similar to those Amphibious Combat Vehicles either Amphibious Combat Vehicle (stroke) with which the United States Marines are being equipped and requires the marine infantry Spanish.
On December 22nd, the Italian Land Weapons Directorate commissioned Iveco to supply 36 amphibious armored vehicles either Amphibious Armored Vehicles (VBA) intended for the Navy Military italian. The contract is part of the program for the renewal and expansion of the vehicle fleet for National Defense, with the aim of increasing the maritime projection capacity of the Navy Military.
Iveco VBA Amphibious Armored Vehicles
The VBA is an all-terrain vehicle 88, capable of navigating after leaving the floodable dock of an amphibious ship and being recovered in it autonomously, even in the open sea. It offers at the same time excellent mobility and high-level ballistic protection against mines and anti-improvised explosives or Improvised Explosive Device (IED) once it is operating on the ground.
It is powered by a 700 hp FPT Cursor 16 engine, combined with a 7-speed automatic gearbox and an H-type driveline, derived from the Centaur and the frequency, which provides a maximum highway speed of 105 km/h. The mounted hydraulic propellers guarantee navigation beyond “Sea State 3” and a maximum speed of 6 knots.
.jpeg)
Iveco’s presence in Spain would facilitate the ordering of its 8×8 amphibians by the Spanish Navy. (IDV photo)
The platform is equipped with a remote control station or Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) HITROLE Light, supplied by Leonardo, which mounts a 12.7 mm caliber machine gun and command, control, communication and computerization systems or Command, Control, Communication, and Computers (C4) of the latest generation.
The amphibious armored vehicles for the Italian Navy are based on the design of the same firm for 8×8 amphibious vehicles Surface Performance Amphibious Vehicle (SuperAV), which has also given rise to the Amphibious Combat Vehicles stroke with which the United States Marine Corps is being manned or United States Marine Corps (USMC), which are supplied by BAE Systems as the main contractor after an agreement with the Italian multinational.
The VBA ordered by the Italian Land Armaments Directorate will be assigned to the San Marco Marine Brigade, which will replace part of its fleet of veterans Assault Amphibious Vehicle (AAV)-7, which currently consists of 72 units owned by the Navy Military and to italian army.
We are facing news that would serve to channel the similar need of the Spanish Marine Infantry, which could also unify the model with the San Marco Marine Brigade, with which the Spanish-Italian Amphibious Combat Group either Spanish-Italian Amphibious Force (SIAF), within the framework of the joint defense capacity of the European Union. (Julio Maz Sanz)
Copyright © Grupo Edefa SA Total or partial reproduction of this article is prohibited without permission and prior authorization from the publishing company.