Italy may have started delivering B1 Centauro tank destroyers to Ukraine.

As reported by A-129 Mangusta on February 21, 2025, Italy has reportedly started the delivery of B1 Centauro 8x8 tank destroyers to Ukraine. The photograph appears to show one of the vehicles in transit, though no further details have been disclosed. There has been no official confirmation from the Italian government, but previous patterns indicate that Italian military aid to Ukraine is often identified only when equipment is observed in operational use.
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At the time of the writing, there has been no official confirmation from the Italian government, but previous patterns indicate that Italian military aid to Ukraine is often identified only when equipment is observed in combat situation. (Picture source: Twitter/A-129 Mangusta)

Reactions to this information vary. Some have questioned why Italy had not previously provided these vehicles, suggesting they could serve as a substitute for tanks, especially given that Italy still had 255 B1 Centauro in its inventory as of 2024. Others have raised concerns about the Centauro’s suitability for Ukraine’s muddy terrain, given its wheeled configuration. At the same time, comparisons have been made to the French AMX-10RC, which has proven effective against infantry assaults, suggesting that Centauros could fill a similar role. Additionally, some have speculated that the transfer may be linked to the Italian Army’s ongoing integration of the newer Centauro II, potentially freeing B1 Centauro vehicles for export.

Since 2022, Italy has provided various categories of military aid to Ukraine. Air defense systems delivered include a Skyguard Aspide battery and a Spada battery in February 2023, and two SAMP/T MAMBA systems, with the first deployed in May 2023 in cooperation with France and the second announced in June 2024. Artillery systems transferred include two M270A1 multiple rocket launchers and over 106 self-propelled howitzers, including six PzH 2000 in January 2023 and over 100 M109L units, deliveries of which began in October 2022. Ukraine has also received towed FH-70 155mm artillery, 120mm Mod. 63 and MO-120-RT heavy mortars, and armored vehicles such as Bandvagn BV 206S, Puma 6x6, and at least ten VCC-2 armored personnel carriers since June 2024.

Additional aid includes infantry mobility vehicles, with VTLM Lince delivered in June 2022, some equipped with Hitrole remote weapon stations, and 11 MLS Shield vehicles. Italy has also supplied logistics and transport vehicles, including 45 Iveco VM 90 tactical vehicles, Iveco Astra SM 66.40 trucks for towing artillery, IVECO ACM 90 trucks, and two IVECO Trakker T380WMs, as well as FIAT Fullback 4x4 pickup trucks, some configured as mobile platforms for man-portable air defense systems. Other weaponry delivered includes FIM-92 Stinger man-portable air defense systems, MILAN anti-tank guided missiles, and Panzerfaust 3 RPGs. Storm Shadow cruise missiles have also been provided. Further aid includes radar systems for air defense, machine guns, ammunition for artillery and mortars, body armor, medical supplies, counter-IED systems, and €110 million in financial assistance granted on February 27, 2022.

The B1 Centauro was developed by the Società Consortile Iveco Fiat - OTO Melara (CIO) to meet an Italian Army requirement for a wheeled tank destroyer combining high mobility with the firepower of a Leopard 1 main battle tank. The vehicle was designed for rapid deployment and support of cavalry and lighter armored units. Production began in 1991 and concluded in 2006, with more than 490 units manufactured. Variants have been developed, including infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled howitzers.

The main armament of the B1 Centauro consists of an Oto Melara 105mm/52 rifled gun, which is gyro-stabilized and fitted with a thermal sleeve and an integrated fume extractor. (Picture source: Italian Army)

The Centauro 1 has been used in multiple operations, including deployments in Bosnia-Herzegovina under IFOR and KFOR, Somalia under UNOSOM II, and Iraq during Operation Ancient Babylon. In Somalia, Italian forces engaged hostile positions at Checkpoint Pasta in 1993. In Iraq, Centauro units were used in Nasiriyah in April 2004. The vehicle is currently deployed in Lebanon under UNIFIL. Operators include Italy, Spain with 84 units, Jordan with 141 ex-Italian Army vehicles, and Oman with nine modified units. Brazil ordered 98 Centauro II vehicles in November 2022, with the first units delivered in 2023. The United States and Russia previously evaluated the Centauro but did not procure it.

The main armament of the B1 Centauro consists of an Oto Melara 105mm/52 rifled gun, which is gyro-stabilized and fitted with a thermal sleeve and an integrated fume extractor. The gun is capable of firing NATO-standard ammunition, including high-explosive (HE), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), and armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot (APFSDS) rounds. The maximum effective range for direct fire engagements is approximately 3,000 meters when using APFSDS rounds, while indirect fire capability extends beyond 10,000 meters with high-explosive shells. The gun has an estimated rate of fire of 6 to 8 rounds per minute.

The vehicle carries a total of 40 rounds, with 14 stored in the turret for immediate use and the remaining 26 stored in the hull. Secondary armament includes a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun and an externally mounted 7.62mm machine gun, with a total of 4,000 rounds of ammunition available. The Centauro is equipped with a Galileo Avionica TURMS fire control system, which features a fully stabilized gunner’s sight, a thermal imager, a laser rangefinder, and a digital ballistic computer. This system allows the vehicle to accurately engage moving targets while both the Centauro and its target are in motion.

The Centauro 1 weighs 24 tons and has a length of 7.85 meters, a width of 2.94 meters, and a height of 2.73 meters. It is powered by an Iveco V6 turbocharged diesel engine producing 520 horsepower, reaching a top speed of 108 km/h with an operational range of 800 km. The vehicle’s 8x8 wheeled configuration includes independent MacPherson strut suspension and a Central Tire Inflation System (CTIS) for adjusting tire pressure. The welded steel hull provides protection against 14.5mm armor-piercing rounds and artillery fragments, with additional appliqué armor available to withstand 30mm projectiles. The vehicle is equipped with an NBC protection system, a four-barreled smoke grenade launcher on each side of the turret, and a laser warning receiver.