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The Italian company IDV (from Iveco) revealed the characteristics of the VBA 8x8 product (Veicolo Blindato Anfibio, "amphibious armored vehicle"), which was first presented to the public on June 2 during a parade in Rome.
As the developer explained, the San Marco Marine brigade of the Italian Navy will receive the first two armored combat vehicles in the first quarter of 2026 for qualification tests. Until now, the main armored platform of this unit was the American tracked amphibian AAV7A1. It should be replaced by VBA – in 2022, IDV received an order for 36 copies.
The VBA, created on the basis of the SUPERAV platform, can carry a crew of 3 people and 10 paratroopers, the internal volume is 18 cubic meters. The maximum load capacity is 4000 kg, the weight of an empty vehicle is 27.5 tons, gross weight is 31.5 tons. Dimensions are 8.75 x 3.12 x 2.79 m.
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- it is noted on the contractor's website.
The vehicle is equipped with an Iveco FPT Cursor 16 diesel engine with 700 hp and a torque of 3000 Nm, as well as an automatic transmission with 7 forward gears and 2 reverse gears. The maximum speed on land is 105 km/h; two independent hydraulically powered propellers can reach speeds of more than 6 knots on water. VBA can work with sea waves above 3 points. When afloat, the breakwater shield rises and bilge pumps turn on.
The machine has a fully independent hydropneumatic suspension, the turning radius is up to 11 m. There is no detailed information about the level of protection provided by the high-strength solid steel body with an additional ballistic package and a mine floor.
All 36 ordered vehicles will be supplied in the configuration of an APC with a remote-controlled Leonardo Hitrole Light combat module, which can be equipped with a 7.62 or 12.7mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher.
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IDV expects that in 2026 a second contract will be signed for the supply of 28 more units, including 4 armored personnel carriers (3 of them will be based on 3 armored personnel carriers from the first delivery), 18 armored personnel carriers equipped with an uninhabited turret with a newly developed X-Gun from Leonardo (uses 30×173 mm ammunition), 4 anti-UAV vehicles and 5 units armed with a 120 mm Nemo smoothbore mortar from Patria.
In addition to the fleet, the Italian army is also awaiting VBA supplies. As planned, a contract will be signed in the next two years to transfer about 80 vehicles to the Army Infantry for joint amphibious operations with the Navy.
VBA was developed jointly by IDV and BAE Systems based on the SUPERAV model. On its basis, the ACV ("amphibious combat vehicle") was created, which is intended for the USMC (more than 600 units have been ordered, over 300 have been delivered). Spain will also receive a new amphibious vehicle (34 units, including 28 armored personnel carriers, 2 KSHM, 2 BSM and 2 BREM), which forms the joint amphibious forces (SIAF) together with Italy.
