Dardo IFV
Encyclopedia
The Dardo is a infantry fighting vehicle
designed for the Italian Army
as a replacement for the M113
APC. It is designed and built by the Iveco Fiat Oto Melara Syndicated Company based in Rome
. Iveco is responsible for the hull and propulsion systems while Oto Melara
is responsible for the weapons system and fire control system.
KBA automatic cannon firing 600 rounds per minute, with 200 rounds of ammunition stored in the turret ready to fire. Two 7.62mm NATO machine guns are also installed in the turret, one mounted coaxially with the main gun. Five rifle ports, two on each side of the hull and one in the rear are provided to allow troops inside to use their personal weapons if needed.
Fire control is provided by the Galileo Avionica Hitfist integrated fire control system which is capable of measuring target speed and range. The commander is provided with six episcope sights which provides 360° field of vision. The cupola can be further fitted with a panoramic stabilised sight. Additionally, a laser range finder and a thermal imager is provided for the gunner. The commander is equipped with a monitor that displays the view from the gunner night vision system.
For dealing with heavy armoured threats, two Spike-LR
anti tank missiles can be installed on both sides of the turret with a maximum range of 4km.
-designed automatic transmission system
which is manufactured under license by Iveco Fiat. The transmission system has four forward and two reverse gears, and incorporates the steering system and the hydraulic retarder.
The running gear consists six dual rubber lined road wheels, with three return rollers on each side and connector type tracks. The suspension consists of a torsion bar, bumper and a hydraulic shock absorber on each suspension arm. Disc brakes on each of the final drives controlled by a transmission retarder provide the braking.
Together, this allows the Dardo to achieve speeds in excess of 70 km/h, maneuver on gradients of more than 60% and ford waters up to a depth of 1.5 m.
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
designed for the Italian Army
Italian Army
The Italian Army is the ground defence force of the Italian Armed Forces. It is all-volunteer force of active-duty personnel, numbering 108,355 in 2010. Its best-known combat vehicles are the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle, the Centauro tank destroyer and the Ariete tank, and among its aircraft...
as a replacement for the M113
M113 armored personnel carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
APC. It is designed and built by the Iveco Fiat Oto Melara Syndicated Company based in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. Iveco is responsible for the hull and propulsion systems while Oto Melara
Oto Melara
Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the...
is responsible for the weapons system and fire control system.
Armament
The Dardo is primarily armed with the 25mm OerlikonOerlikon Contraves
Rheinmetall Air Defence AG is a division of German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall, created when the company's Oerlikon Contraves unit was renamed on 1 January 2009 and integrated with Rheinmetall's other air-defence products...
KBA automatic cannon firing 600 rounds per minute, with 200 rounds of ammunition stored in the turret ready to fire. Two 7.62mm NATO machine guns are also installed in the turret, one mounted coaxially with the main gun. Five rifle ports, two on each side of the hull and one in the rear are provided to allow troops inside to use their personal weapons if needed.
Fire control is provided by the Galileo Avionica Hitfist integrated fire control system which is capable of measuring target speed and range. The commander is provided with six episcope sights which provides 360° field of vision. The cupola can be further fitted with a panoramic stabilised sight. Additionally, a laser range finder and a thermal imager is provided for the gunner. The commander is equipped with a monitor that displays the view from the gunner night vision system.
For dealing with heavy armoured threats, two Spike-LR
Spike (missile)
Spike is a fourth generation man-portable fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile with tandem-charged HEAT warhead, developed and designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and in service with a number of nations....
anti tank missiles can be installed on both sides of the turret with a maximum range of 4km.
Self protection
The Dardo hull is built from welded aluminum alloy with add on steel armour plates for increased protection. Over the frontal arc the vehicle is protected against 25mm APDS projectiles. The side armour protects against 14.5 API projectiles. Four 80mm smoke grenade launchers, are installed on both sides of the turret, for a total of eight.Propulsion
The Dardo is powered by an Iveco V6 turbo-charged after-cooled diesel engine delivering 512 hp (382.2 kW). This drives a ZFZF Friedrichshafen
ZF Friedrichshafen AG, also known as ZF Group, and commonly abbreviated to ZF, is a German public company headquartered in Friedrichshafen, in the south-west German region of Baden-Württemberg....
-designed automatic transmission system
Transmission system
In telecommunications a transmission system is a system that transmits a signal from one place to another. The signal can be an electrical, optical or radio signal....
which is manufactured under license by Iveco Fiat. The transmission system has four forward and two reverse gears, and incorporates the steering system and the hydraulic retarder.
The running gear consists six dual rubber lined road wheels, with three return rollers on each side and connector type tracks. The suspension consists of a torsion bar, bumper and a hydraulic shock absorber on each suspension arm. Disc brakes on each of the final drives controlled by a transmission retarder provide the braking.