Centauro II (B2 120)
Next-generation 8x8 wheeled tank destroyer and fire support vehicle, successor to the original Centauro that defined the modern wheeled fire support concept. Mounts the Oto Melara HITFACT Mk2 turret with a 120mm/45-calibre smoothbore gun capable of firing all NATO-standard 120mm ammunition including APFSDS rounds — giving it MBT-level firepower on a wheeled platform. Features advanced fire control with commander's independent panoramic sight, gunner's stabilised sight with third-generation thermal imaging, laser rangefinder, and ballistic computer. Protection includes modular ceramic composite armour, STANAG 4569 Level 4 base (upgradeable), and integrated laser warning system. Weight of 30 tonnes with a road speed of 110 km/h and strategic mobility far exceeding tracked platforms. Italy ordered 150 units.
![Leonardo (formerly Finmeccanica) logo](data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="200" height="60" viewBox="0 0 200 60"><rect width="200" height="60" fill="%23111"/><text x="100" y="38" font-family="Arial" font-weight="bold" font-size="18" fill="%23c8a84b" text-anchor="middle">LEONARDO</text></svg>)
- 120mm NATO-standard gun on wheeled platform — unique high-firepower mobility combination
- Excellent strategic deployability; self-deployable over long road distances
- HITFACT turret compatible with all NATO 120mm rounds including programmable HE
- Lower operating cost and logistics footprint than tracked MBTs
- Well-suited for Italian doctrine of rapid deployment and expeditionary ops
- Wheeled platform offers far less protection than tracked MBTs
- Cannot survive direct engagement with modern MBTs
- Recoil management of 120mm on wheeled hull limits sustained fire accuracy
- Off-road mobility inferior to tracked alternatives in soft terrain
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