The Spanish Army has taken the first steps to replace its Centauro B1 cavalry reconnaissance and combat vehicle in service for two decades. The Army General Staff (EME) has drawn up the requirements for the future platform that will replace this vehicle.
The REM document (General Staff Requirements) has already been approved by the JEME and is part of “the prioritized list of military capabilities” of Defense, according to the latest issue of the Cavalry Memorial. This publication does not offer more information about the program that it defines as “fundamental” for the Weapon.
In the absence of knowing more details about this program and the deadlines for the replacement, it should be remembered that the Spanish Army currently has 84 Centauro, manufactured by a consortium formed by the Italian firms Iveco and Oto Melara -today Leonardo-, which incorporate as main weapon a 105 mm cannon. The vehicles entered service in cavalry units between 2000 and 2006.
In 2021, the Army announced a plan for the upgrade of the Centaur aimed at improving protection and firepower. Regarding protection, the objective was to provide the vehicle with anti-rocket protection systems. Specifically, the Army opted for slat armour or equivalent, which is especially effective in asymmetric combat and in urban environments.
The program also aimed to improve firepower indirectly by improving the vehicle’s vision systems. The idea was to replace the current second-generation thermal cameras with other more modern systems with a greater range in the detection, recognition and identification of targets.