Freccia (infantry fighting vehicle)

The Freccia (Arrow) is an Italian 8x8 wheeled Infantry fighting vehicle in use with the Italian Army. 249 vehicles have been ordered in a first batch to replace Cold War VCC-2 armoured personnel carriers in two brigades in Southern Italy. The Freccia is build by a consortium combining Iveco (engine, suspension) and Oto Melara (hull, armament).

The Freccia is up-armoured and revised variant of the wheeled Centauro tank destroyer fitted with the Hitfist Plus turret (an evolution of that used on the Dardo), which is armed with an Oerlikon KBA 25mm automatic cannon and carries 200 rounds of 25mm ammunition. Two 7.62mm NATO machine guns are also fitted. Additionally a pair of Spike ML/LR anti-tank missiles can be fitted on the turret. The Hitfist Plus turret could theoretically also fit cannons and guns of up to calibre 60mm. Four 80mm smoke grenade launchers are mounted on each side of the turret. The fire control system is the same as for the Centauro reconnaissance/anti-tank version. The Freccia can carry up to eight combat-ready troops. Engineer and Ambulance variants are in development.

In 2006 the Italian government ordered 172x Freccias with Hitfist Plus turret, 36x with Hitfist turret and Spike-LR launchers, 20x Command vehicles and 21x Freccias as 120mm mortar carriers (Thomson-Daimler Armements (TDA) 2R2M mortars). The first brigade to receive the Freccia was the Pinerolo Mechanized Brigade.