The Italian Army has decided to procure two types of combat vehicle, tracked main battle tanks and wheeled armoured vehicles. To meet the specifications for vehicles for intervention in classic battlefield operations a new infantry fighting vehicle has been developed. The Dardo infantry fighting vehicle is an Italian combat tank and a motorised personnel carrier. In service with the Italian Army, it will replace the VCC (modernized M-113). It has automatic fire control and passive night vision capabilities, and it is planned to develop a variety of different versions (combat engineers, recovery, transmissions, antiaircraft, etc.).

It can accommodate a 3 + 7 crew and is armed with a 25 mm cannon, a launcher either side of the turret for a Hughes TOW ATGW and a fire control system with a laser rangefinder. It is produced by the Iveco-Fiat-Oto Melara 50/50 joint venture, a consortium set up in 1985 to produce combat vehicles, with plants in Bolzano (Iveco) and La Spezia (Oto Melara). Iveco produces engines, spare parts, suspension systems, tracks and the hull for the wheeled vehicles, and Oto Melara the weaponry, fire-control system, turrets and optical systems and hulls for the tracked vehicles. The Dardo HITFIST vehicle is a development of the VCC-80 infantry fighting vehicle. Image 2: Vcc 80 Dart. Crew: 9 Weight: 23 ton. Dimensions: 6.70 Xs 3 Xs 2.70 ms. Armament:. Motor: Iveco of 520 Cv. Transmission: Automatic. Suspension: Barras of torsion and shock absorbers. Traction: Caterpillars. Benefits: V. Maxima, 70 Km/h; Autonomy, 600 Km.