The first Italian coldwar wheeled APC

At the very beginning of the 1970s, the FIAT - OTO Melara consortium developed on request from the Italian army several prototypes of 4x4 armored vehicles: The Tipo 6614 and Tipo 6616. Although they had different configurations, they used many common parts. Also, to make them cheaper, both models used a number of components rom the civilian market by FIAT and its subcontractors across Italy. It alsp helped to guarantee excellent reliability and facilitate maintenance, using the FIAT network of spare parts across the world. The first prototype of the 6614 was completed in 1972 and the first 50 vehicles were delivered to the Carabinieri the same year. Afterwards, The Tipo 6614 was used after the army by the Italian police and largely exported: Libya, Peru, Somalia and Tunisia for a total of 1,160 units. Production went on until 1984 while and Asia Motors purchased a licenced and produced the LM900 for the south Korean army.


Appearance of the initial Fiat Tipo 6614 (FIAT)

Development

In the great scheme of things, NATO's requirements were asking for the procurement of APCs but relatively loose on the type and origin, leaving most countries of Europe creating their own APC models, tracked and wheeled. In Italy, the northern industrial giant, FIAT, was the obsvious choice to produe a wheeled military vehicle. Italy already had thousands of tracked M113 which formed the backbone of its motorized units, but the police also wanted to have its own cheap and reliable 4x4 armoured vehicle. So FIAT accepted to develop the 6614 in the hope of procuring the Carabineri (police) and well as the air force (), making the most of it afterwards in exports. And so 40 vehicles of the first batch were subsequently ordered by the Italian government for the State Police. The second one followed, larger, with 110 units, this time for the Air Force, used in VAM departments, patrolling and defending military bases and airports. The army only used it in rare occasions: Many 6614 from the Air Force when ceded to the Army only for peacekeeping operations, by cavalry units. It was extensively tested by Alpine troops as well, which integrated 14 vehicles, also sold by the Air Force. So in total, the Italians only used 150 of the 6614 APCs, the remainder were all exported.

Design

The 6614 hull was made of welded steel with a uniform thickness of 8 mm; the driver's seat is on the front of the vehicle on the left and is equipped with episcopes that allow observation of the vehicle in front and to the sides. The engine with the transmission is located in the front right side of the vehicle in order to leave as much space as possible to the team of soldiers transported in the rear, equipped with a hatch for the rapid disembarkation / embarkation of men. The Blindo could be armed with a simple turret (which can be folded down to facilitate strategic transport) manually operated (the same as the VCC-1 Camillino) equipped with a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. There is also has a hatch in the middle of the vehicle and there are side slits and rear equipped with fume extractor from the fighting compartment, that allow the safe use of personal armament by the transported personnel. On each side of the turret there is finally an installation for three electrically operated fog-type grenade launchers.

A particular feature that distinguishes this medium is its ability to act as an amphibious medium. The thrust in the water is provided by the movement created by the wheels, while the buoyancy is allowed thanks to the shape of the vehicle and the joints to make it waterproof. Because of its ability to be amphibious, the Fiat 6614 can be very useful in rescue missions and emergencies such as natural disasters, and for this reason it is still in service in the mobile police of the State Police.

Variants/Exports

Variants

Type 6616:

A version of the Type 6614 incorporating a 20 mm autocannon turret designed and built by Oto Melara.

Development

The Type 6616 (4×4) armoured car was a joint development between FIAT and Oto Melara, with the former responsible for the hull and automotive components and the latter for the turret and armament installation. The vehicle shares many common automotive components with the Type 6614 (4 × 4) armoured personnel carrier, which was manufactured under licence in South Korea for the Korean Army.Details of this Type 6614 APC are given in a separate entry in Jane's Armour and Artillery. Production is now complete and it is no longer being marketed.The first prototype of the Type 6616 armoured car was completed in 1972 and after trials a production order was placed by the Italian government for 40 vehicles for the Carabinieri.Production of the FIAT - Oto Melara Type 6616 armoured car has been completed with 300 vehicles built. Production of the vehicle was undertaken in the FIAT (later Iveco Defence Vehicles) facilities at Bolzano with the complete turret, ready for installation on the vehicle, being provided by Oto Melara. This vehicle, and its numerous variants, are no longer marketed. There are no known upgrades planned for the Type 6616 (4×4) armoured car.

Design

The all-welded steel armour hull is claimed to provide the occupants with protection from small arms fire and shell splinters. In each side of the hull is an escape hatch.The driver is seated at the front of the vehicle on the right side and is provided with a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the right with an opening in the roof for a passive night driving periscope. To the front and side of the driver are five vision blocks which cover an arc of 200°, the centre three with a wiper blade.The all-welded steel turret is in the centre of the hull with the commander on the left and the gunner on the right. Their seats, which can be adjusted for height, are mounted on the turret basket. The commander has nine day periscopes for all-round observation and a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear. The gunner has a single-piece hatch cover that opens to the rear and a day periscope sight mounted in the turret roof forward of the hatch cover. The Galileo Avionica P204 gunner's periscope has a magnification of ×1 for general observation and ×8 for aiming purposes in daylight (with a 9° field of view). It can be replaced by a P194 day image intensifier with a magnification of ×8 and a 7.9° field of view for engaging targets at night. The periscopic head has an elevation of +60° and a depression of -10°. The radio is mounted in the turret bustle. *Note: (Jane's "FIAT - Oto Melara Type 6616 armoured car (Italy), Reconnaissance vehicles" - archive.

KM900:

The South Korean version, produced under license by Asia Motors, currebtly phased out in favor of the KW1 Scorpion. The KM900 armored vehicle waq jointly developed by Fiat and Autobreda. This armored vehicle was not suited for any modern battlefield but a well developed roads network. It had a restricted use in mountainous areas. This version had a 160 horsepower (18.82 horsepower/ton) engine, 700 km range, and same armament as the basic 6614, a single 7.62mm machine gun and 12.7mm machine gun.

In this armored vehicle, the driver is located in front of the inclined body, and the engine compartment is located on the side of the vehicle. The driver observes the front using three periscopes, and has a space for 10 infantry at the back of the cockpit, and there is an entrance door at the rear. It has four periscopes for infantry shooting on the side and four mounts for shooting, and a shooting mount similar to that of the M113 is mounted on the top, so you can mount a 12.7mm machine gun and a 7.62mm machine gun here. The body has a structure in which 6~8mm bulletproof steel plates are welded, and has a fire extinguisher and defense against debris.
The reason for the introduction of this equipment by Korea was to defend against guerrilla warfare caused by the introduction of enemy special forces. Asia Heavy Industries has produced more than 400 vehicles with a license, and has succeeded in localizing all of the special steel, tires and drive systems for the vehicle body. KM901, a subsidiary vehicle, is an armored vehicle equipped with a dozer for removing obstacles in the basic armored vehicle. https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/464693-fiat-6614-with-firos6-rocket-launcher/

Variants

• Italy: Esercito (phased out): 14, Air Force 110, passed onto the Polizia di Stato, Carabinieri 52 6616
• Argentinan army 25 (status unknown) and 50, State Police
• South Korea 400 under licence as KM900
• Libyan army: 200 Statut unknown after the 2015 civil war, 100 type 6616
• Peruvian Army 15 6614 and 70 6616
• Somalian army 270, status unknown, and 30 Type 6616
• Tunisia - 150
• Vietnam - 24

Video

Links/Src

On military-today.com
On militaryfactory.com
On wikipedia
On army-guide
KM 900
6614 on warwheels
6616 on warwheels
Old Janes article
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_-_OTO_Melara_6614 fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_-_OTO_Melara_6616

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Fiat 6614 specifications
Dimensions	7,2 x 2,9 x 2,4 m ( x x ft)
Total weight, battle ready	13 tons
Crew	2+7 (driver, Cdr, 7 infantry incl. gunner)
Propulsion	Detroit 6V53T, 6-cyl. diesel 275 hp (205 kW)
Suspension	Torsion bars
Speed (road)	60 km/h road, 6 kph water (? mph)
Range	500 km (? mi)
Armament	7.62mm GMPG, see notes
Armor	25-32+6 mm - see notes
Total production	200 ?

Standard Fiat 6614 of the Italian Air Force.


Fiat 6614 tested with the M27 recoiless rifle 106 mm.


Italian Army Fiat 6614 in the UN livery 1990s.


Late Italian AF 6614 with MG shield.


Italian Police model.


Italian Carabinieri model.


Argentine Tipo 6614.


Peruvian Tipo 6614.


Up-armored Fiat 6614 KFOR in Yugoslavia 1995.


Tunisian model, camouflaged, 2011 arab spring.


Tunisian model with turret and cal.50.


South Korean KM 900.


Fiat Tipo 6616, the IFV version.

Gallery

Tunisian Fiat 6614 during the "Jasmin revolution" in Tunisia, 2011


Interior of a KM900


Fiat 6614 of the Carabinieri during the Vicenza flooding of 2010


Fiat 6614s in Somaliland during the 1993 peace operation


Same, with an USMC Lav-25, OP restore hope.


Peruvian fiat tipo 6616