Place of origin Italy Wars War in Afghanistan | In service 2006 – present Length 7.6 m (24 ft 11 in) | |
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Type Wheeled infantry fighting vehicle Weight 28 tonnes (31 short tons; 28 long tons) | ||
The Freccia (Italian: Arrow) is an Italian 8x8 wheeled Infantry fighting vehicle in use with the Italian Army. The first batch of 253 vehicles were ordered to replace Cold War VCC-2 armoured personnel carriers of the Mechanized Brigade Pinerolo in Southern Italy. The Freccia is built by a consortium combining Iveco DV (hull, engine, suspension) and Oto Melara (armament).
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The Freccia is up-armoured and revised variant of the wheeled Centauro tank destroyer fitted with the Hitfist Plus turret (an evolution of that used on the Dardo), which is armed with an Oerlikon KBA 25mm automatic cannon and carries 200 rounds of 25mm ammunition. Two 7.62mm NATO machine guns are also fitted. Additionally, a pair of Spike ML/LR anti-tank missiles can be fitted on the turret. The Hitfist Plus turret could theoretically also fit cannons and guns of up to 60mm calibre. Four 80mm smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side of the turret. The fire control system is the same as for the Centauro reconnaissance/anti-tank version. The Freccia can carry up to eight combat-ready troops. Engineer and Ambulance variants are in development.
In 2006, the Italian government ordered a first batch of 253 Freccia: 172 Freccia with a Hitfist Plus turret, 36 with a Hitfist turret and Spike-LR launchers, 20 Command vehicles, 21 as 120mm mortar carriers (Thomson-Daimler Armements (TDA) 2R2M mortars) and 4 tactical ambulances.
In 2014, the Italian government ordered a second batch of 381 Freccia: 261 Freccia as standard IFV, anti-tank, command post, mortar carrier and ARV versions for the Mechanized Brigade Aosta and 120 Freccia ISTAR for the army's reconnaissance regiments. Plans to also equip the Mechanized Brigade Sassari with Freccia vehicles are as of February 2017 for financial reasons on hold.