Recently, unconfirmed reports have suggested that Italy is sending a batch of new weapons to Ukraine, including B1 Centauro wheeled tanks. These armored vehicles are actually in service in Italy in the amount of 255 units.
The reason for this was a photo of one Centauro on a lowboy truck. It is not known where, when, or under what conditions this photo was taken. However, it raises the question of whether these armored vehicles are truly being delivered to Ukraine.
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Unconfirmed information about their transfer was heard back in 2023. At the time, the statements were based on footage showing the transportation of these wheeled tanks by rail.
In 2025, it is clear that not all weapons transported within Europe are necessarily headed for Ukraine. Moreover, Italy's transportation of military equipment has already become a clear example that even a trident on a yellow and blue background doesn't necessarily mean the weapon is for Ukraine. Currently, there are no hints that Centauro may strengthen the Armed Forces of Ukraine, although there are no official objections.
However, the question of the need for certain weapons still remains. The B1 Centauro is a true wheeled tank, unlike the French AMX-10RC, which is a reconnaissance vehicle and in the realities of war it is used as self-propelled artillery. However, it is unlikely that B1 Centauro will be able to actually perform any other task.
This armored vehicle, created in the mid-1980s, offers protection against 14.5 mm caliber fire in the circular projection and 25 mm in the frontal projection. It is armed with a 105 mm rifled gun with a 52-caliber barrel from Oto Melara. Unlike the F2 BK MECA L/48 on the AMX-10RC, this gun uses standardized, unified ammunition. The accuracy of fire is ensured by a digital control system with a thermal imaging channel and a laser rangefinder, which is unified with the Ariete tank.
The B1 Centauro is powered by a 520 hp Iveco V6 turbo diesel engine, providing a specific power of 19.35 hp/ton at 24 tons. The vehicle's chassis is unique in that not only the first and second axles are steered, but also the fourth axle at low speeds, resulting in a turning radius of 9 meters. It should be noted that the vehicle is not amphibious.
The main task of the B1 Centauro and its role on the battlefield is to defend against potential enemy sea and airborne assaults, a mission highly relevant to Italy given its theater of operations. The main purpose of this vehicle is to quickly deploy tank-caliber firepower where the enemy is likely to have only light armored vehicles. That is why the B1 Centauro is also in service in Spain and Jordan. Italy and Brazil have both ordered the new Centauro II variant, which features a 120-mm cannon and other innovations.
Earlier Defense Express reported that Sweden would supply Ukraine with air defense systems worth $113 mln including Tridon Mk 2.
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