On May 9, 2024, a photograph surfaced on X Social Network, unveiling the first Centauro 2 armoured vehicle designated for the Brazilian Army. This procurement follows the Brazilian Army’s announcement on November 25, 2022, by the Comando Logístico (COLOG) / Diretoria de Material, selecting the winner of the competitive bid for an 8×8 armoured combat vehicle. Officially termed as the Viatura Blindada de Combate de Cavalaria Média Sobre Rodas, VBC CAV – MSR 8×8, the selection favored the Centauro II model, equipped with a formidable 120 mm smoothbore gun.
The Centauro II is produced by the CIO consortium, a collaboration between the Italian companies IDV (formerly Iveco) and Leonardo (formerly Oto Melara), under the joint banner of Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara. The configuration adopted by the Brazilian Army closely mirrors that utilized by CIO’s national Italian customers but introduces several unique adaptations tailored for Brazil. Notably, the Brazilian version will sport a different add-on armour package, details of which remain classified. Additionally, the Brazilian models will forego the semi-automatic ammunition loading system present in the Italian variants, opting instead for manual handling of the 120 mm ammunition akin to most Western main battle tanks (MBTs).