Italy plans to transfer 400 M113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine

Italy is preparing a new military aid package for Ukraine, which will include 400 M113 tracked armored personnel carriers.

Rome’s plans were reported by the authoritative Italian publication Il Messaggero, citing its own sources in the government.

According to journalists, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has already presented the eleventh aid package to the Committee on Public Safety.

As part of this package, Ukraine will receive not only armored vehicles, but also a satellite surveillance system. This is necessary for the effective planning and coordination of reconnaissance operations on the front lines.

The package will consist mainly of 400 M113 armored personnel carriers, which have proven themselves in combat. They provide transportation for personnel and can be equipped with additional weapons.

It should be noted that earlier, in 2024, Italian VCC-2 tracked armored personnel carriers were already delivered to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

They are a modification of the American M113A1 model, adapted to Italian requirements.

VCC-2 features enhanced protection with additional 6 mm armor panels installed on the sides. This provides a higher level of safety for the crew during combat operations.

Each vehicle has two embrasures for firing and two armored glass windows for observing the situation as well.

VCC-2 can also be identified by its distinctive open-type machine gun turret, which allows the operator to fire with improved visibility.

Italy is estimated to have modernized between 1,160 and 1,200 M113A1 armored personnel carriers, converting them to the VCC-2 version, which indicates that it has significant resources to support Ukraine.

Recently, Ukrainian companies have mastered the production of the spare parts for American M113 armored personnel carriers.