B1 Centauro Serie III

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Description: The B1 Centauro Serie III is the latest version of the Italian wheeled tank destroyer B1 Centauro 105 made in the 2000’s.
. It’s development started in the early eighties, when the Italian army requested a new mobile platform with great firepower capable of defending the Adriatic coast areas against a Soviet invasion before the tanks could arrive. The Italian consortium CIO that was working on an IFV, to save time and money, proposed one derivative, the Fiat AVH6636, equipped with a French 90 mm cannon and a new turret designed by OTO-Breda. But the Italian army was not satisfied by this initial design and requested that the new vehicle should have mounted a 105 mm cannon, on par with the MBT’s of the time. The turret was later redesigned, but due to its weight, the six-wheeled hull was no longer able to mount it, and so the hull had to be modified too. Two more wheels were added in order to strengthen the hull. In 1984, the first nine prototypes were completed, and immediately, a long test campaign was started to see how the vehicle performed in different environments. The vehicle proved to be very functional and was presented to the Italian army in 1987 alongside the Puma and the C1 Ariete. It was equipped with an Italian-made 105/22 mm gun made by OTO Melara. It entered service in 1989, but due to financial issues, production was delayed until 1992. Overall, the production was pretty fast, and in 2006, 400 units were completed and delivered to the Italian army. It was also exported to various nations, such as Spain, Oman, and Jordan. In the near future, the remaining B1 Centauro Serie II and III in the Italian army will be replaced by the new B2 Centauro. The Serie III currently is the last and most modern B1 Centauro 105 ever built. It has improved optics, such as termals for the commander, TURMS, improved armor and lengthened hull. It mainly use the DM33 APDFDS and maiby even the DM63 (even tought this is not confirmed).

Why it should be in game: Being the last model of Centauro 105 ever made, it could be a very good addition in the tree between the Centauro’s folder and the Centauro 120.

Specifications

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Sources

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B1 Centauro - Tank Encyclopedia
Blindo Armata Centauro - Esercito Italiano
CENTAURO I
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Pictures

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15 Likes

+1

Spoiler

efpadpxca5121

6 Likes

+1

2 Likes

Very welcome addition to the Italian TT +1

Would sit very well between the ROMOR and the 120. Would go very well with the 10.3 lineup (Ariete Preserie, Freccia, Dardo, Mangusta etc.)

2 Likes

I am waiting for this Centauro version since the lunch of the Italian ground TT. +100

1 Like

Yes +1.

1 Like

Yes +1! We need a Centauro on par with TAM2C and M1128!

2 Likes

+1 long due

2 Likes

+1

2 Likes

it is in the game as spanish version and as a pre one (you might try to find specific version of it for tt)

no the spanish version is a dedicated model, is not the same as this one

Need this as it’s the final B1 Centauro in service. Give it DM63 and make it 10.0. +1

2 Likes

ok

+1 would love more centauro in game

3 Likes

The amazing Centauro in his final form! +1!

3 Likes

Trivial question, but useful for those who are not familiar with this vehicle: I have always wondered what is the difference between Series I, Series II and Series III?

mainly the armour, the shells and the optics

2 Likes

Serie 1: base Centauro with no additional armour
Serie 2: add-on armour has been applied to the most sensitive areas of the hull (side, behind the wheels etc.) and turret
Seire 3: same as S.2 but the hull has been elongated in the back

Also the optics and themal sensors of gunner and commander received an upgrade, but I am not sure with which version (whether 2nd or 3rd).

3 Likes

Is that the case with the elongated rear? As far as I am aware, the B1T is the scout version and has that long rear. The regular B1 S3 still retained the sloped rear. But we could have both, I would not mind at all.
One should be the subfolded one of the other.

And I’d like to have a KFOR version too, that included the romor ERA on the hull side, but not the turret.

Either way, having a bunch of the Centauros ingame does not hurt as it is the italian TT flavour after all.