The Italian-American: B1 Centauro 105s evaluated by the US, 2000-2002

[Richardguy]

[Would you like to see the B1 Centauro 105 made available to US players in some form?]

• Yes
• No

Author’s note: The basic B1 Centauro 105mm is already in War Thunder in the Italian tech tree.

History: The B1 Centauro is a wheeled mobile gun system of Italian origin which mounts an OTO-Melara 105mm L/52 cannon. The vehicle was produced for the Italian Army in the 1990s and into the mid 2000s, in response to a request for a wheeled gun system which offered better strategic mobility than an MBT and could be easily integrated into a motorized division. The vehicles remain in service to this day with Italy and Jordan, but are slowly being phased out for the Centauro 2, which features a 120mm cannon, better armor and a gen 2 thermal imager.

The B1 Centauros were initially equipped with high-hardness rolled armor capable of stopping all small arms and some 12.7mm/14.5mm rounds, gen 1 thermal imagers, and both coaxial/external machineguns for protection from enemy infantry. Later, some vehicles were equipped with ROMOR explosive reactor armor to counter RPG threats, or additional steel armor to protect agaisnt autocannons. The 105mm gun was capable of firing any NATO-standard 105mm ammunition at the time, which included HEAT, HESH, and APFSDS-T. Smoke grenade launchers and a laser warning system also improved vehicle survivability passively.

In the year 2000, the US requested, and received from Italy, 20 B1 Centauro wheeled fire support vehicles for testing, evaluation and familiarization with wheeled mobile guns prior to the delivery of the M1128 MGS “Stryker”. The vehicles were delivered to Fort Lewis that year, for testing with the 2nd Infantry Division, and returned in 2002. The vehicles were ultimately never type-classified or adopted into American service and the Stryker MGS would be America’s wheeled FSV until 2020.

**Armament+Equipment:**105mm L/52 Oto-Melara cannon
2x Mg42/59 machinegun (one external, one coaxial)
Smoke grenade launchers
Laser Warning/Rangefinder System
Additional optional ERA package (ROMOR in Italian service)
Additional optional high hardness armor package (Spanish service)
NOTE: The vehicles sent to the United States did not come equipped with any additional armor or a commander’s machine gun.

Other Specifications:
25,000 kg (no additional armor)
7.85m long
2.94m wide
2.73m tall
Crew: 4
Drivetrain: IVECO V6 diesel, 520 hp (HP/T ratio: 20).
Automatic transmission, five forward/two reverse gears
Top speed forward: 110 km/h
Top speed reverse: 22 km/h
Gunner optics: 8-12x, gen 1 FLIR
Commander’s optics: 2.5x-10x, gen 1 FLIR (commander’s override available)

“Why should this vehicle be included?”

To put things simply, the US has a rather small number of wheeled platforms in-game, which include the Stryker MGS and the LAV-AD. The addition of this vehicle, which was tested by the US extensively, would create a more unique experience for players who want a fast, nimble vehicle, where the current US tech tree mostly has slower, but better protected tracked tanks. In addition, this vehicle would be very easy to implement: It’s already in the Italian tech tree (various models).

CENTAURO I

B1 Centauro

https://www.jstor.org/stable/43985049 (US report)
https://nara.getarchive.net/media/us-army-first-lieutenant-1lt-james-anderton-left-and-sergeant-sgt-emil-woeppel-227205 (pictures of the tank in US testing)
Centauro B1 Tank Destroyer | MilitaryToday.com
https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/italy/b1_centauro.php

[EL337GH0ST]

+1 for squadron, if every other country can get multiple US vehicles, some they barely even used/tested (cough Swe AH-64 cough), then US can get a badly needed mobile light tank at 9.0-9.3 that isn’t an event vehicle

[Richardguy]

This is my reasoning above all. Right now the US suffers from a lack of high mobility vehicles at… well most BRs, but the one at 7.0-9.7 is probably felt the most. A T&E Centauro would be a very easy add.

[ImportantSimone5]

Hmmm… nop. If it were for the speech that was evaluated as a means for the Americans, the Russians should have it too.

[Richardguy]

The Russians have a high mobility gun at 9.0. In fact, they have several vehicles like that from 8.3-10.0. The US has 1.

[ImportantSimone5]

And why don’t put an american vehicle?

[Richardguy]

I’d ask Gaijin the same thing, we are way past the time period of the LAV-105, Cadillac Commando 90mm, but they won’t add many wheeled guns for the US. The Centauro would be very easy to add.

[ImportantSimone5]

@Richardguy

but they won’t add many wheeled guns for the US.

Because Gaijin don’t want to work. We italians are asking for a new SPAAG for top tier from years.

[YaSen]

I hate all of these trialed things, there shouldn’t be more of them in the game. I can understand the case of Sweden, at least helicopters issue, but USA definitely doesn’t need such stuff. If anything it can get smth like LAV-600.

[Richardguy]

It wouldn’t be an issue if Gaijin actually added the period correct vehicles to the US. We’re missing a huge number of light tanks and wheeled vehicles from the Cold War era that could be added but were passed over as we move towards the modern day.

[YaSen]

USA isn’t smth special in that, most of nations still lack multiple stuff which can be added. USSR is missing almost all of its wheeled vehicles, apart from a single (iirc) WW2 armored car only BTR-80A was added not so long ago. Italy has more of wheeled vehicles and IFVs compared to others, but lacks in almost everything else, mainly conventional tanks and jet CAS. And yes, there are a lot of candidates for both nations in these areas, most have already been suggested and passed to devs.

[ImportantSimone5]

@Охраняет-Камни

most have already been suggested and passed to devs.

But not implemented.

[Nicholas_Concu]

no, bad idea.

[Leonardo651th]

@Richardguy

It wouldn’t be an issue if Gaijin actually added the period correct vehicles to the US. We’re missing a huge number of light tanks and wheeled vehicles from the Cold War era that could be added but were passed over as we move towards the modern day.

FR

[RamsesPharaoh]

Absolutely unnecessary and not domestic -1

[EL337GH0ST]

Just like the whole Hungarian “subtree”

[mc205v]

Absolutely not, the USA does not need a vehicle that they have only tested, otherwise if we consider all the vehicles tested by the various nations we would have enormous TTs. The suggestion is then wrong from the start because the Centauro tested in the USA has the plate and insignia of the Italian Army, you would make better use of your time if you made suggestions of the LAV 600 105 and the V600 Commando, so you would have two other wheeled vehicles to put alongside to M1128.

[Thug Shaker Actual]

And the rest are extremely expensive FOMO paywalled event vehicles lol

[Thug Shaker Actual]

Careful, get ready to get flagged by the community for talking like that. Oh btw can I interest you in the highly popular idea of adding the Centauro to the USSR tree? Apparently according to russian players its desperately needed, but how DARE US players have it too. USA is OP didnt you know! USA bad 🤬 Americans are bad

Centauro I 120 SQUADRON vehicle for the USSR tech tree

poll The title of the topic sounds absurd at first glance. However, now I will tell you why within the game we can and should get some Italian light tanks as squadron or event combat vehicles. [image] Spoiler Remarque To begin with, let’s remember the history of Sweden’s T-80U and Mi-28A: during the 1993 tender the T-80U was tested in Sweden, and in 1995 the Mi-28A. Both of these vehicles were not accepted for service and were bought by Sweden and returned home. Due to this fact they appeare…

[mc205v]

The Russian and American TTs don’t need the B1 Centauro, get over it, it won’t be added to either TT.