I've seen some "interesting" concepts out of the Germans (Donar) and some pretty innovative ones too (Wiesel 120mm mortar carrier) but this design is on a whole new level.Finmeccanica´s Oto Melara SpA has recently showed a brand new VBM Centauro (Veicolo Blindato Medio) 8×8 armoured vehicle modified as a 155mm self-propelled artillery system.The weapon system comprises a 155mm/39 turreted gun installed in a VBM Centauro 8×8 wheeled armoured high mobility chassis. The protected turret has a stealth design and is fitted with eight grenade dischargers, a digitized suite, a powerful elevation system, an automatic loading system for ammunition and propelling charges and can be equipped with a remote controlled weapon station like the Oto Melara SpA HITROLE lightweight and stealth system which is armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun. It can fire the Vulcano family of guided ammunitions and as well as standard NATO shells. It requires less than three minutes to be deployed ready for fire and one minute to abandon the scene after the action.VBM is the chassis for different specialized vehicles including Freccia infantry fighting vehicle of the Italian Army, VBM Centauro reconnaissance and fire support vehicle in service with the armies of Italy, Spain and Oman which feature the HITFACT turret armed with 105mm/52 or 120mm/45 guns, VBM Explorer which feature a HITFIST turret armed with a 25mm gun and two twin launchers for Horus mini-unmanned air systems, VBM Draco equipped with a 76mm turreted gun, and, VBM Recovery combat armoured recovery vehicle of which Spain has procured four units and a the chassis for the artillery system.The company also has developed a Dardo tracked infantry fighting vehicle configured as a mobile mortar carrier. The vehicle is equipped with the 120mm 2R2M mortar system from TDA Armements.
One thing appears certain though. The Italians are making a run at the traditional powerhouses..BAE, General Dynamics, KMW and Rheinmetall and challenging some of the up and comers like Lockheed Martin.
The armored vehicle market looks to be in the middle of some type of renaissance.
I wouldn't call it that revolutionary. Tank destroyers have been around for a long time. It is cool that the same chassis can be used for as Self Propelled Artillery, and i'm sure Think Defence would love that kind of commonality. However I don't really see the need for a dedicated Tank Destroyer, especially a wheeled one. Wheeled Artillery would be of some use I guess.
ReplyDeletewho called it revolutionary?
ReplyDeleteThe Italians simply came up with a domestic system for it's medium weight units. They're buying PzH2000 from Germany for the heavy brigades and didn't want the expense of using it for the medium brigades.
ReplyDeleteThat said the utility of 155/52 is often going to be significant compared to 155/39 that a towed 155/52 might be a better choice for medium forces over a self propelled 155/39.
i think you hit the nail on the head. towed guns have shown strategic mobility and tactically they're no slouch either. you're not giving up much by putting them behind a highly mobile truck and dragging them cross country when you really think about it. add the ability to move them by helicopter and i think its a better fit for your medium force.
ReplyDeleteIt depends a lot on your concepts of 'medium' and of employment. You can do a lot with a towed howitzer but self-propelled is going to have advantages over towed in two areas:
ReplyDelete-- it offers at least some crew protection and, though the advantage will be small, will have faster into and out of action times all of which are important against counter battery fire
-- in a non-linear battlefield, it is armed and armored against local attack like an LAV, not like a truck. Presumably mine resistance is also an order of magnitude greater than a truck.
There's a cost and flexibility trade off to get these things, and I'm not sure this approach is sufficiently more capable than something like the Archer to justify the cost, but it's important to remember that the Centauro was conceived as part of a more mobile force that still operated in a high intensity environment. Significant counter battery fire would be in the mission set.
i do get what you're saying but lets face it. with even the USMC have MLRS, counter battery is a joke these days. if the enemy has rockets and you have cannons then if they're on the ball no matter what you're in you're dead.
ReplyDeleteThis is a really significatn progress in medium brigade support. Approximatly same mobility and protection. Pzh2000 is unfit for the role, evidently! Italian army anyway has enough Pzh2000 to support medium brigade too, if they want.(even too much for the present battle order)
ReplyDelete155/52 vs 155/39: they are going to employ the new Vulcano long range munitions... no problem about range!
Suggesting that even USMC have MLRS does not mean nothing. Shoot and go tactics have been devised just for that.
Errata Corrige: does (not) mean nothing
ReplyDelete