ELBO Kentaurus

ELBO Kentaurus

Kentaurus is an Armored Infantry Fighting Vehicle (AIFV) designed and developed by the Greek vehicle builder ELBO. Its history is connected with the need for an advanced AIFV by the Greek Armed Forces. The vehicle takes its name from the Greek word for Centaur the creature from Greek mythology. After aborted efforts including Leonidas-2 variants and other attempted improvements and joint developments, ELBO worked entirely on its own, on a new design according to the specifications given at the time by the Hellenic Army. The resulting AIFV developed by the Greek company, named 'Kentaurus' ('ΚΕΝΤΑΥΡΟΣ'), was officially introduced in the Defendory Arms Exhibition in Athens in 1998, and at that time was one of the most advanced AIFV's in the world. It features a 420hp MTU Diesel engine, 30 mm EBO cannon and 7.62 mm machine-gun (built on Mauser and Rheinmetall designs), Pyrkal smoke-grenade launchers, Toxotis computerized fire control system and KUKA turret. The crew is 3+8, maximum speed (street) is 75 km/h and maximum weight is 19.8 tons. However, despite successful intensive tests by the Greek army, its approval, and an initial agreement in 2003 for an order of 140 vehicles, its fate is to this date uncertain due to subsequent cutbacks in relevant military spending, and evaluation of cheaper alternatives.