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| General information |
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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. The first production order for 200 vehicles for the Italian Army was placed in 1998 and the first was delivered in May 2002. Deliveries were completed in 2005. Total requirement was expected to be 500 vehicles, but further acquisition has been postponed under the 2005 Italian defence budget. Dardo vehicles were deployed in support of Operation Iraq Freedom in 2004. In May 2007, the Italian government announced that eight Dardo vehicles were being sent to Afghanistan to support Italian troops with the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) peacekeeping mission.
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Variants :
Dardo Anti-tank : with TOW system
Dardo mortar carrier : with a 120 mm mortar
Dardo command post
Dardo ambulance
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| Armament |
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The Dardo is primarily armed with the 25mm Oerlikon 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 coaxial with the main gun. Five rifle ports, two on each side on 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. Smoke grenade launchers, with four 80mm barrels per side, are installed on the front of the turret on either side of the main gun in the forward pointing direction. The crew compartment has five rifle ports, two on each side plus one in the rear ramp, for close defence.
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| Protection |
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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.
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| Propulsion |
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The Dardo is powered by an Iveco 6V turbo-charge after-cooled diesel engine delivering 512 hp (382.2 kW). This drives a ZF-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. Dardos in actionTogether, 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.
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| Accessories |
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The troop compartment has five firing ports, each with an associated vision block allowing five of the infantrymen to fire their weapons from inside the vehicle. Two of these are in either side of the hull and one is located in the door position in the left side of the power-operated ramp at the rear. Standard equipment on the Dardo includes a full range of passive night vision equipment, an air conditioning system, automatic fire extinguishing system for the crew and engine compartment and equipment to allow the vehicle to ford to a depth of 1.5 m. The vehicle is fitted with an integrated air conditioning system and NBC system.
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| Specifications |
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Armament
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1 × 25 mm Oerlikon Contraves 25 mm KBA cannon, one machine gun of 7.62 mm, 2 × TOW launchers, 8 grenade dischargers of 40 mm.
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Country users
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Italy
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Designer Company
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Iveco Fiat Oto Melara
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Accessories
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Central tires inflation, armor cabin, remote weapons, winch.
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Armor
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All-welded aluminium and steel armour bolted to the hull and turret.
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Weight
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23,000 kg
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Speed
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70 km/h
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Range
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500 km
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