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| C1 Ariete | |
|---|---|
 Ariete | |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1994–present |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara (CIO), a consortium formed by IVECO and OTO Melara |
| Produced | 1994–2002 |
| No. built | 200 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 54 t (53 long tons; 60 short tons) |
| Length | 9.52 m (31.2 ft) |
| Width | 3.61 m (11.8 ft) |
| Height | 2.45 m (8.0 ft) |
| Crew | 4 |
| Armor | steel and composite |
Main armament | 120 mm OTO Breda L/44 smoothbore gun 42 rounds (15 ready-rounds in the turret basket with additional 27 rounds in the hull rack) |
Secondary armament | 7.62 mm MG 42/59 coaxial machine-gun, 7.62 mm MG 42/59 AA machine-gun 2,500 rounds |
| Engine | Fiat MTCA 12V diesel 25.8 litre 950 kW (1,270 hp) |
| Power/weight | 17.5 kW/t (23.5 hp/t) |
| Transmission | ZF Friedrichshafen LSG 3000 |
| Suspension | torsion bar |
| Ground clearance | 0.44 m (1.4 ft) |
Operational range | 600 km (370 mi) |
| Maximum speed | 65 km/h (40 mph) |
The C1 Ariete (English: battering ram, ram) is a 3rd generation main battle tank of the Italian Army, developed by Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara (CIO), a consortium formed by IVECO and OTO Melara. The chassis and engine were produced by Iveco, while the turret and fire-control system were supplied by OTO Melara. The vehicle carries the latest optical and digital-imaging and fire-control systems, enabling it to fight day and night and to fire on the move. Six prototypes were developed by 1988, which were subject to intensive testing. The following year the vehicles travelled a combined 16,000 km. Deliveries were first planned for 1993, and took place in 1994 due to delays. Final delivery occurred 7 years later in August 2002.