The IDV–OTO MELARA Consortium (CIO) is a Leonardo company. It comprises IDV (formerly Iveco Defence Vehicles), fully acquired and controlled by Leonardo since 2026, and Leonardo through the Electronics Division’s Business Area Defence Systems (formerly OTO Melara).

For over 40 years, CIO has been a reference point for the Italian Ministry of Defence in the field of ground vehicles. Its origins date back to the early 1980s, when Italy, preparing to launch a programme to fully renew its fleet of combat vehicles, identified the need for a single industrial interface. This led, in 1985, to the creation of a consortium between the two national land armaments prime contractors, FIAT Iveco and OTO Melara, with equal participation. Each company contributed its expertise to develop a new family of wheeled and tracked vehicles, ranging from light wheeled armoured personnel carriers (APCs) to main battle tanks (MBTs).

CIO holds the design authority for all vehicles and is responsible for global sales and marketing and, through the forming companies, for the design, production and after-sales for all vehicle components, ranging from hulls, engines, gears to weapon systems, sights, fire control systems and C4I, including the final vehicle integration. Furthermore, CIO offers top-tier protection solutions against direct fire, mines, and IEDs.

IDV Defence Vehicles Italia is dedicated to delivering innovative automotive and protection solutions to meet the needs of military customers worldwide. The company manufactures specialist military logistic, protected and armoured vehicles in its facility in Bolzano in Northern Italy, as well as marketing IDV’s full commercial range, adapted as necessary to meet the demands of the military user. In consequence, IDV has a full range of vehicles to meet a broad spectrum of defence applications.

Leonardo is a global industrial group, among the main global players in Aerospace, Defence and Security that realises multi-domain technological capabilities in Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, Cyber Security and Space. With over 53,000 employees worldwide, the company has a solid industrial presence in Italy, the UK, Poland and the US. It also operates in 150 countries through subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS (Defence Electronics), as well as joint ventures and investments such as ATR (Aircraft), MBDA and Hensoldt (Defence Electronics), Telespazio, Thales Alenia Space, and Avio (Space). A key player in major international strategic programmes, it is a technological and industrial partner of governments, defence administrations, institutions and companies. In 2023, Leonardo recorded consolidated revenues of € 15.3 bn, new orders for € 17.9 bn and invested € 2.2 bn in R&D. Innovation, continuous research, digital industry and sustainability are the pillars of its business worldwide. The company is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, and its US subsidiary, Leonardo DRS, is listed on the US high-tech list NASDAQ. Leonardo is also listed in the MIB ESG INDEX, Italy’s first index dedicated to the 40 blue chips with the best ESG performance and has been in S&P Global’s Dow Jones Sustainability Indices for 14 years, where it has ranked highest in the Aerospace and Defence sector for the fifth year running.