Following the 2008 contract providing for the procurement of six Fiat/Iveco Oto Melara CENTAURO Armoured 8x8 Vehicles (equipped with the new HITFACT 120/45 mm smooth-bore gun turret and the new generation, 650 hp V6 diesel engine), Oman decided to turn the already provided option for three more vehicles into a firm order.

 

This second agreement comes after the good results the vehicle demonstrated during tests carried out in the harsh Omani desert environment.

The first six CENTAURO will be delivered by 2010, while the remaining three are due to follow in 2011. They will all replace the Omani VBC-90 armed with a 90 mm gun, now still operating 25 years following their procurement.

The Italian Army is said to be also interested in the HITFACT equipped CENTAURO.