On Monday 3 June 2024, Italy announced its intention to replace its fleet of Dardo infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) with a new tracked armoured vehicle in a programme estimated to cost 5 billion euros. Italian companies Leonardo and Iveco Defence Vehicles (united in the CIO joint venture) are tasked with finding European partners who can offer expertise and platforms to accelerate the programme, without having to start from scratch.
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Italy wants to replace its old Dardo vehicles with 1,000 new armoured vehicles. (Picture source: Italian MoD)
Italy is looking to replace its Dardo infantry fighting vehicles with the involvement of a European company such as KNDS, Rheinmetall or BAE Systems Hägglunds.
According to information gathered by the US magazine Defense News, the plan is to have a finalised design by the end of this year. The specific objective of this programme, known as A2CS, is to manufacture 1,050 tracked armoured vehicles to replace the Dardo fleet, introduced at the end of the 20th century to replace the old M113s of American origin.
This is the largest land-based military programme currently underway in Europe and, given the sought-after involvement of companies from other European countries, it could help to strengthen the European defence sector, notes the North American publication. Potential candidates for involvement include KNDS (formed by the merger of Germany’s KMW and France’s Nexter), which has the Boxer vehicle as the basis for the new design; Germany’s Rheinmetall, manufacturer of the Lynx; and BAE Systems’ Swedish subsidiary, BAE Systems Hägglunds, producer of the CV90.
The planned timetable is for the new Italian vehicles to be delivered between 2029 and 2041, with around 20 prototypes of a platform to be produced between 2027 and 2028, from which 16 different configurations should be acquired.
In addition to the A2CS programme, Italy also has an ongoing programme for the procurement and national production of Leopard battle tanks from German manufacturer KNDS, with whom it has also signed an agreement on possible future collaboration on the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS).
The Dardo is the Italian armed forces’ main infantry fighting vehicle (IFV). Designed and produced by the Iveco Fiat Oto Melara joint venture, it was brought into service at the end of the 20th century to replace the old American M113 vehicles in the Italian army.
Weighing in at 23,000 kg, the Dardo is armoured with an aluminium and steel alloy welded and bolted to the hull and turret, offering added protection for crew and passengers. Its weapons are particularly formidable, including a 25 mm Oerlikon Contraves cannon, a 7.62 mm machine gun, two TOW anti-tank missile launchers and eight 40 mm grenade launchers. This array of weapons makes the Dardo a versatile vehicle, capable of effective engagement against ground and air targets.
In terms of mobility, the Dardo offers impressive performance, with a maximum speed of 70 km/h and a range of 500 km, thanks in particular to its centrally inflated tyres. This mobility, combined with its protection and armament, makes the Dardo an asset for Italian land forces in combat operations.
Since its introduction, the Dardo has been constantly modernised and improved to meet the demands of the modern battlefield. Today, it is the Italian army’s main ICV and plays an essential role in the defence of national territory and peacekeeping abroad, but the vehicle dates from the last century and is reaching a certain limit in its modernisation.
The Dardo is a vehicle that is beginning to look dated, so its replacement by the Italian army comes as no surprise. However, the number of vehicles included in the programme is impressive – a contract that will undoubtedly attract the attention and appetite of European industry.