For more than 40 years wheeled and tracked armoured vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces were born from the meeting of two industrial excellences. The Iveco – Oto Melara Consortium (Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara) , CIO in short, is formed between Iveco Defence Vehicles, a CNH Industrial company, and Leonardo, and for over 30 years it has been the reference point for the Italian MoD in terms of ground vehicles. Its origins can be traced back to the early ‘80s when Italy, on the verge of launching a programme to fully renew its combat vehicles park, felt the need for a single industrial interface. This led in 1985 to join the two national land armaments prime companies, Iveco and OTO Melara, into a consortium with equal participation.
CIO has extended its action beyond national borders and has now become a reference on the export market for all those products that include components provided by the two partners. Each company brought its capabilities to develop a brand new family of wheeled and tracked vehicles ranging from MBTs to light wheeled APCs. Iveco Defence Vehicles is responsible for engines, gears and all the automotive components, the hull and the final integration of wheeled armoured vehicles while Leonardo is responsible for weapon systems, sight and fire control systems of both wheeled and tracked vehicles, the hull and the final integration of tracked armoured vehicles. Both companies have excellent skills in the field of protection against direct fire, mines and IEDs.
Iveco Defence Vehicles is a CNH Industrial company, a global leader in the capital goods sector with established industrial experience, a wide range of products and a worldwide presence. Iveco Defence Vehicles was formed in 1975 with the merger of the truck manufacturing operations of FIAT, Lancia, OM, Unic and Magirus, the name stands for Industrial Vehicles Corporation. Iveco itself has 20 Research and Development facilities spread across five countries. The corporation has a major international presence, with subsidiaries and partners in over 100 countries worldwide. It is also the largest manufacturer of diesel engines in the world.
Leonardo, former Oto Melara, through the Defence Systems Business Unit is active in naval, land and air weapon systems with state-of-the-art technologies. It is organized in product lines: production, research and development capabilities ranging from turrets, C4ISR systems and naval guns to missile launchers, from robotic to intelligent ammunition, to combat vehicles ballistic protection, artilleries and antiaircraft systems. Leonardo has in its portfolio a wide range of Turret Weapon Systems and Remotely Operated Weapon Stations in service with many armies all over the world. Leonardo Defence Systems Business Unit, former OTO Melara, is active in naval, land and air weapon systems ranging from turret weapon systems and naval guns to missile launchers, from conventional to guided ammunition and from combat vehicles and artillery to antiaircraft systems and UGVs.
