The Army Receives 83 Amphibious Armored Vehicles VBA: Green Light for the Joint Program with the Navy

The Parliament has recently received the programmatic document that formalizes the acquisition of 83 Amphibious Armored Vehicles (VBA) for the Italian Army. The vehicle, developed by Iveco Defence Vehicles (IDV), is already supplied to the Italian Navy for the San Marco Marine Brigade, and will now also be integrated into the Army's land units, enhancing joint capabilities in amphibious and coastal operations.

According to information from the documents submitted to parliamentary committees, the new 8x8 vehicles will be primarily assigned to the Reggimento Lagunari “Serenissima”, an elite unit of the Brigata di Cavalleria “Pozzuolo del Friuli”, with a smaller portion allocated to the 3rd Engineer Regiment.
Currently, funds are available for the first 14 vehicles, marking the operational start of the program.

The project, with a total value of 877.5 million euros, is divided into two phases:

• The first phase, currently under review by the Chambers, amounts to 206 million euros and will cover the period 2026-2037, including the development, production, and homologation of 4 pre-series prototypes and the construction of the first 10 series VBAs, with related ten-year logistical support.
• The second phase, estimated at 671.5 million euros, will concern the production of the remaining 69 vehicles and will be subject to subsequent ministerial decrees to be submitted again for parliamentary approval.

The VBA 8x8 by Iveco Defence represents the evolution of the SuperAV, a vehicle already tested for amphibious and land use. Equipped with high ballistic protection and mine resistance, the vehicle can be transported by sea and air, ensuring mobility in any operational environment.

For the Italian Army, the introduction of the VBA marks a decisive step in enhancing sea projection capabilities, a sector where the Brigata “Pozzuolo del Friuli” and the Reggimento Lagunari “Serenissima” play a key role.
The goal is to promote interoperability and operational synergy with the Navy, allowing for the deployment of integrated amphibious units in multinational and NATO contexts, with particular reference to the Mediterranean basin and rapid response operations.

In the future, the arrival of the new VBAs will allow the Army to have an autonomous and modern amphibious component, capable of supporting both humanitarian missions and combat operations in coastal or river environments.

The first batch, expected from 2026, will thus mark the beginning of a new phase of cooperation between the Italian Armed Forces, in line with the strategic principle of integrated joint defense.

Tags: