OTO Melara

Subsidiary of Finmeccanica

OTO Melara S.p.A.Company type| S.p.A. (corporation)

|

Industry| Defence Systems
Founded| 1905
Defunct| December 31, 2015(2015-12-31) (aged 110) (merged into Leonardo
Headquarters|

Rome

Italy

Number of locations

| La Spezia

Area served

| Worldwide
Products| Land, naval and air defence systems
Parent| Leonardo
Website| https://www.leonardo.com/en/home

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.

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

[edit]

Oto Melara 76/62 Ariete MBT Puma APC

### Pre–World War I

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

### Vehicles manufactured

[edit]

* Ariete Main Battle Tank
* OF-40 Main Battle Tank
* B1 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

[edit]

* OTO Melara Mod 56 105mm/L14 Pack Howitzer
* OTO Marlin 40[3][4][5]
* OTO Breda 120/44 (for the Ariete tank)
* Hitfact turret (3-operators turret)
* Hitfact mk1[6]
* OTO Breda 105/52
* Hitfact mk2[7]
* OTO Breda 105/52
* OTO Breda 120/45
* Hitfist two-man turret armed with a 25mm or 30mm automatic cannon and 7.62mm coaxial machine gun (plus two TOW launchers as option)
* Hitfist OWS Remotely operated turret armed with a 25mm 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 40mm automatic grenade launcher
* Small calibre naval turrets 12.7mm LIONFISH[8][9]
* 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[10]
* GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb under license from Boeing

### Ammunition manufactured

[edit]

* Vulcano (munition) [it] \- 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

[edit]

* List of Italian companies

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Finmeccanica meeting approves new name, 'Leonardo'". Ansa News.
2. ^ "Finmeccanica: Mauro Moretti launches 'One Company'". Finmeccanica. Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2016.
3. ^ "DIMDEX 2018: Leonardo Unveils the OTO Marlin 40 Naval Turret". Navy Recognition. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
4. ^ "Leonardo to unveil OTO Marlin 40 naval gun mount". Naval Technology. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
5. ^ "OTO Marlin 40". electronics.leonardo.com. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
6. ^ Giusti, Arturo (30 December 2020). "B1 Centauro". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
7. ^ "Hitfact-MKII". electronics.leonardo.com. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
8. ^ "Leonardo presenta Lionfish®, la nuova famiglia di torrette per la difesa navale". leonardocompany.com (in Italian). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
9. ^ "Leonardo presenta Lionfish, la nuova famiglia di torrette per la difesa navale". Difesa Online (in Italian). 23 October 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
10. ^ "MSS 1.2". Military Today. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 8 August 2021.

## External links

[edit]

* 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

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Leonardo

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* AgustaWestland
* Alenia Aermacchi
* Avio
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* OTO Melara
* Selex ES
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