The Brazilian army is opting for Leonardo’s Centauro II armoured vehicle: here are its specifications

Leonardo, through the Cio Consortium (Idv – Oto Melara), has signed an initial contract for series production with the Brazilian Army, as part of the Programa Estratégico Forças Blindadas, for the Viatura Blindada de Combate de Cavalaria Média sobre Rodas project (VBC Cav – MSR 8x8). The contract, the group explains in a statement, provides for the supply of seven Centauro II 8x8 wheeled vehicles with a 120 mm main armament and represents the first series production batch of a total programme of 98 units to be completed in annual instalments. The agreement was signed following the successful completion of operational tests and the delivery of the two vehicles from the initial evaluation batch.

The Centauro II – as the company emphasises – represents the most advanced evolution of this wheeled armoured vehicle model, designed to meet the demands of modern operational scenarios. Fully digitalised and interoperable, it is designed to operate effectively across a wide range of missions, from national security and peacekeeping operations to the most complex deployments in various theatres of operation. This vehicle has already been adopted by the Italian Army, which has contracted for 150 units.

Fitted with the HITFACT MkII turret, a 720 HP powerpack and an H-pattern transmission, this vehicle combines the firepower of a modern tank with the high strategic mobility of a wheeled platform. Its performance is characterised by its observation capabilities, firing accuracy, communications quality, ergonomics and a high level of crew protection. In the press release, Leonardo explains that the Centauro II remains, to date, the only vehicle in service capable of integrating a 120 mm gun onto a wheeled platform.