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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.
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