Source: B2 Centauro - Tank Encyclopedia
I know that Centauro 2 is coming out in Italy, so the main questions are:
- Is Gaijin able to add this Italian vehicle to its game without making it a fictional vehicle, as it did with Ariete? The manufacturer Oto Melara has confirmed that it has composite armour, but Gaijin refuses to add it because information on the thickness of Ariete’s armour is classified as military secret. And so they are basing their work on old photos of dismantled Ariete vehicles with many of their parts missing because they have been recycled, which is what Italy actually did: dismantling and cannibalising part of the Ariete vehicles to keep the other part operational, thus avoiding excessive production/maintenance costs.
- They will add the option for the Centauro 2 to add additional composite armour plates to the hull, and with the replacement of other splinter-proof plates in the turret, the Centauro II increases its weight by 1.5 tonnes but achieves “Type B” protection, making the Centauro completely protected from 40 mm APFSDS projectiles. Inside the vehicle, the plates are lined with Kevlar, which, together with the splinter plates, significantly reduces the number of splinters produced by a projectile that pierces the armour.
Honestly, I don’t like the idea of adding another high BR fantasy vehicle for Italy. If they have to do a quick job, in my opinion, it makes more sense to add a World War II wheeled vehicle that Italy produced, as there are many that have not yet been implemented in the game. Furthermore, information about these vehicles is not classified as military secrets, so it is easier to obtain accurate information about them.