On August 2, 2023, the Armaments Department of the Italian Land Forces (Direzione Armamenti Terrestri - DAT, as part of the General Secretariat of Defense / National Armaments Department of Italy) signed a contract worth 848.8 million euros with the consortium of CIO (Consorzio Iveco OTO Melara) of Iveco and Leonardo companies for the serial modernization of 90 main tanks of the Italian army Ariete C1, out of 200 available, with an option to upgrade another 35. The upgraded tank will receive the designation Ariete C2.
Prototype Ariete AMV RT3 upgraded Italian main tank Ariete C2 (c) Ministry of Defense of Italy
The contract is designed for eight years (from 2023 to 2030) and provides for the supply of 90 serially upgraded tanks from 2025 to 2029. If the option to upgrade another 35 tanks is implemented, its cost will be another 150 million euros.
The Ariete C1 tank was developed by the CIO consortium in the 1980s, but due to the end of the Cold War and the reduction of military spending, it was manufactured for the Italian army in 1995-2002 in an amount of only 200 serial units. The development of a modified version of the Ariete 2 was also discontinued (the prototype was shown in 2002). Now Ariete C1 is armed with three tank battalions of the Italian army (the staff of the 41 tank battalion consists of three tank companies of 13 vehicles and two tanks in control) - two battalions of the 32nd and 132nd tank regiments (the Italian regiment in peacetime includes one linear battalion) of the 132nd armored Brigade "Ariete" and one battalion of the 4th tank brigade of Bersaglieri "Garibaldi".
In August 2019, the Italian Army Armaments Department signed a three-year contract worth 35 million euros with the CIO consortium for the development of the Ariete C1 tank modernization project under the Ariete AMV program (Aggiornamento di Mezza Vita - "mid-life modernization") and for the manufacture of three prototypes under the modernization project. Under this contract, in 2022, the prototype AMV RT1 was delivered, including improvements only to the engine and transmission compartment, chassis and hull, and the prototype AMV RT2, which, while maintaining the old chassis and hull, had only an upgraded turret and fire control system, and at the beginning of 2023, a fully complete prototype AMV was delivered RT3, which already had a modernized hull and turret. Currently, all three prototypes are undergoing an intensive field testing program.
A feature of the Ariete C2 (Ariete AMV) modernization project is not a complete replacement of the installed FIAT-Iveco 12V MTCA standard engine, but its factory modernization by Iveco to the V12 AMV variant (belonging to the Vector family), with an increase in the working volume from 25.8 to 30 liters due to the replacement of cylinders, pistons and crankshaft and an increase in stroke cylinders. Accordingly, the maximum engine power has been increased from 1270 to 1500 hp (it is considered possible to raise it to 1600 hp in the future), and the maximum torque from 4615 Nm at 1600 rpm to 5800 Nm. During the modernization, digital control and the Bosch Common Rail injection system are installed on the engine. Also, it is reported that a double turbocharger, additional webasto diesel heaters for temperatures below -25 °, heated fuel filters and an aftercooler heat exchanger system are installed.
The licensed IVECO/ZF LG-3000 automatic transmission installed on the base tank with a torque converter is being modified by a special kit supplied by ZF. It is stated that the updated transmission will triple the torque at low speeds. Also, the suspension and rollers of the tank are subject to revision. A new braking system is being installed, new fuel tanks with new fuel lines, a new fire protection system, new tracks with an increased width of 20% are being introduced. Frontal armor is reinforced on the hull, dynamic protection of the sides is installed, and mine-resistant Kevlar protection of the bottom is introduced.As for the modernization of the tower and the fire control system, these works are carried out under the head role of the Leonardo Defense enterprise (formerly Oto Melara) in La Spezia. The upgraded fire control system of the Ariete AMV tank should be generally similar to the system of the new Italian Centauro 2 wheeled cannon armored vehicle. The Attila-D commander's panoramic sight and the new Lotar-SD gunner's sight (both with third-generation thermal imagers), a new ballistic computer, a round-view system with display output, modern digital communications (including the Leonardo VQ-1 SDR radio station, Larimart intercoms, Leonardo C2N Evo automated control system terminals), a navigation system are being installed, as well as a special radio station for communication with infantry outside the tank. The electrohydraulic drives of the turret and guns are being replaced with digitally controlled electric ones. The WMD protection system and fire-fighting equipment are being finalized and new smoke grenade launchers are being installed. The tower itself receives additional protection of the modular type, and the 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun on the roof of the tower is replaced by a 12.7 mm M2NV. In the future, it is planned to introduce new programmable shots into the ammunition of the stored standard 120-mm cannon. It is expected that the full combat weight of the Ariete C2 tank will be 57 tons (the mass of the basic Ariete C1 was 53.8 tons).
The modernization of 90 tanks should ensure the staffing of two tank battalions of the Ariete armored brigade, and the modernization of another 35 tanks should then increase the staffing of battalions (regiments) from 41 to 54 tanks by introducing a fourth tank company into them.
In parallel with the modernization of a maximum of 125 Ariete C1 tanks to the level of Ariete C2, the Italian armed forces intend to purchase from 125 to 133 Leopard 2A8 tanks of new production in Germany. Negotiations on their purchase (possibly within the framework of a joint multinational program with the Bundeswehr) are already underway and a contract may be concluded by the end of 2023, the cost of their purchase program may amount to 4 billion euros. Delivery of the Leopard 2A8 to the Italian army is planned no earlier than 2027-2028, and as a result, these tanks should also enter service with two tank battalions (regiments) of the Ariete armored brigade (54 tanks each). The two battalion sets (54 tanks each) of upgraded Ariete C2 tanks released as a result from the Ariete brigade should be used to rearm the tank battalion of the 4th Tank Regiment as part of the Garibaldi Bersaglieri brigade and to form a new tank battalion (regiment) as part of the Sassari mechanized brigade in Sardinia. Thus, the total number of regular tanks in the line units of the Italian army should increase from the current 123 to 216.
