OTO Melara

OTO Melara was a subsidiary of the Italian company Finmeccanica, today Leonardo,^[1] active in the defence sector, with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. The Mod 56 pack howitzer, in service throughout the world, and the 76mm naval gun, adopted by 53 navies and installed on over 1,000 naval vessels, are among OTO Melara's best known weapons since World War II.^{[citation needed]}

From 1 January 2016, the activities of OTO Melara merged into Leonardo's Defence Systems Division,^[2] within the Electronics, Defence and Security Systems Sector.

History

Pre–World War I

It was founded in 1905 as a joint venture of Vickers and Terni Steelworks, Cantiere navale fratelli Orlando and Cantieri navali Odero. Investment was also provided by Giuseppe Orlando and Attilio Odero. During World War I, Vickers Terni produced many weapons with calibre 40 mm and upwards. In 1929 the company was renamed Odero Terni Orlando with the abbreviation OTO. During World War II, mostly heavy guns for battleships were produced.

Post–World War II

In 1953 the company took the name OTO Melara.

Before Italy joined NATO, OTO Melara produced civil products, like tractors and looms, but quickly returned to the production of weapons. On 1 December 2001, the naval artillery division of OTO Melara merged with that of Breda Meccanica Bresciana to form Otobreda. The combined entity produces the DARDO CIWS, Otobreda 76 mm and Otobreda 127/54 Compact naval guns. OTO Melara's land defence operations are part of the Leonardo conglomerate.

Main products

Vehicles manufactured include:

• Ariete Main Battle Tank
• OF-40 Main Battle Tank
• Centauro Wheeled Tank Destroyer
• Dardo Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• VBM Freccia 8×8 Wheeled Infantry Fighting Vehicle
• Puma 6×6 and Puma 4×4 Wheeled Armoured Personnel Carrier
• Palmaria self-propelled artillery
• Otomatic anti-aircraft tank (SPAAG)

Weapons manufactured includes:

• OTO Melara Mod 56 105/L14 Pack Howitzer
• OTO Marlin 40^[3][4][5]
• HITFACT three-man turret armed with a 120mm/45 calibre or 105mm/52 calibre gun
• Hitfist two-man turret armed with a 25 or 30mm automatic cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun (plus two TOW launchers as option)
• Hitfist OWS Remotely operated turret armed with a 25 or 30mm automatic cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun (plus two TOW launchers as option)
• Hitrole Remote Weapon Station for 7.62mm or 12.7mm machine gun or 40 automatic grenade launcher
• Small calibre naval turrets 12,7 LIONFISH^[6][7]
• Otobreda 127/54 Compact naval gun
• Otobreda 127/64 Lightweight naval gun
• 76/62mm Allargato
• Otobreda 76 mm naval gun
• Otomat Anti-ship missile
• Skyguard "Aspide" Anti-Air missile system
• SIDAM 25 anti-aircraft gun
• DARDO CIWS a twin 40mm naval gun mounting
• MSS-1.2 Anti tank guided missile^[8]

Ammunition manufactured include:

• Vulcano 76/127/155mm

In the last decade the company has produced between 900 and 1000 GBU-31 and GBU-32 JDAMs on license. At the moment it is working on the production of 500 GBU-39s for the Aeronautica Militare.

The naval defence operations produce a wide range of automatic naval artillery, rocket and missile launchers and remote controlled small calibre defence cannons.

See also

• List of Italian companies

References

External links

• Leonardo official website
• "EUR 80M to OTO Melara for F125 Frigate Gun Systems". defenseindustrydaily.com. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
• http://bp1.blogger.com/_Ov8q5T5kYx8/RzS3XXESUiI/AAAAAAAAABA/CcB0TEuLu7Y/s1600-h/otomelara12.7mm.jpg

This page was last edited on 22 January 2024, at 20:46