Oto Melara
Oto Melara is an Italian defence company with factories in Brescia and La Spezia. It was founded in 1905 as Vickers Terni. 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. 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. Oto Melara's best-known weapons after World War II are the mountain Pack howitzer Model 56, which is in service throughout the world and the 76/62 ship gun, which has been adopted by 53 navies and is installed on over 1000 naval vessels.
Today Oto Melara's land defence operations are part of the “Iveco Fiat - Oto Melara” consortium.
Vehicles manufactured include:
- Ariete Main Battle Tank
- Dardo Infantry Fighting Vehicle
- Centauro Wheeled Tank Destroyer
- Puma 6x6 and Puma 4x4 Wheeled Armoured Personal Carrier
- Skyguard "Aspide" Anti-Air missile system
- OTO Melara Mod 56 105/L14 Pack Howitzer
- SIDAM 25 anti-aircraft gun
- Otobreda 76 mm naval gun
- Otobreda 127/54 Compact naval gun
- Otobreda 127/64 Lightweight naval gun
- DARDO CIWS
- Otomatic anti-aircraft tank (SPAAG)
- Palmaria self-propelled artillery (1981)
The consortium will also produce 70 PzH 2000s for the Italian Army.
The naval defence operations produce a wide range of automatic naval artillery, rocket and missile launchers and remote controlled small calibre defence cannons.
Otobreda
On 1 December 2001, the naval artillery division of Oto Melara merged with that of Breda Meccanica Bresciana to form the new entity of Otobreda and is now in charged of the production and manufacturing process for DARDO CIWS, Otobreda 76 mm and Otobreda 127/54 Compact naval guns.
