General Salvatore Camporeale, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Army, visited the Cavalry School of Lecce to view the homologation activities underway at the Torre Veneri shooting range with the prototype tank Aries C2.
In the context of the activities undertaken by the FA to increase the effectiveness and employability of its armoured component in the short term, the modernisation programme of the “Ariete” tank represents the most urgent undertaking to be finalised, pending the introduction into service of the new Main Battle Tank. At the moment, the operational tests conducted by the instructor staff of the Cavalry School with the initial configuration of the three prototypes acquired by the Army are being concluded.
The modernization program, not yet fully implemented due to technical problems in the process of being resolved in the functioning of the undercarriage, is characterized by a series of improvements compared to the C1 version of the tank currently in service. In particular, a more powerful powertrain, increased from 1.300 to 1.500 HP, with a significant increase in torque at low revs, new final reduction groups, a fire control system equipped with a new ballistic calculator, similar to that of the new armored vehicle. Centaur, with new aiming optics for both the commander (New ATTILA) and the aimer (LOTHAR), electrical servosystems replacing the electro-hydraulic ones, re-engineering of the braking system, new fire-fighting system, new simplified navigation system and new digital intercom.
During the visit, the School staff conducted comparative tests between the legacy C1 tank and theAries C2, during which it was possible to appreciate the notable improvement in performance, both in movement on compartmentalized terrain and in terms of shooting accuracy during live fire activity.
General Camporeale, dean of the tank crew, was able to speak with the School's experimenters who expressed their satisfaction with the improvements made to the C2 configuration and also with the second lieutenants of the 202nd course, currently engaged in the specialization phase at the Institute, to whom he addressed an invitation to look to the future and be the architects of an increasingly efficient, technological and advanced Army.
