Last Thursday, tests began on the first of three samples of the modernized Italian-made C1 Ariete AMV tank. It is reported that the combat vehicle received an updated IVECO V12 MTCA powerplant with a 1500 hp Common Rail fuel injection system.
It also has a fire control system with sights and devices of a new generation, previously tested on a wheeled (8x8) Centauro II armored vehicle armed with a 120 mm cannon.
Thus, the gunner's combat work is facilitated by the presence of an automatic system with the ability to track targets. By the way, such devices have been used for a long time on Russian armored vehicles, in particular on the T-72B3, T-80BVM, T-90M, BMD-4M and BMP-2M with the Berezhok module.
There is also an optical double sight.
The commander received a panoramic sight with stabilization, television and thermal imaging channels and a laser rangefinder.
However, it is still unclear whether the C1 Ariete AMV is equipped with a remotely controlled 12.7 mm M2 machine gun module or they decided to save money on it.
The armament remains the same - a 120-mm gun, but the ammunition will be updated, including armor-piercing sub-caliber shells.
From 1995 to 2002, two hundred such tanks were produced. At the same time, it was reported that only three dozen units remained on the move.
First photo official of the AMV PT 1 pic.twitter.com/HkdqxHEosw
— A-129 Mangusta (@NichoConcu) January 31, 2022
Alexey Brusilov
