"(This) demonstrates the excellence of Italian industry in the world and excellent teamwork," Guido Crosetto said in a statement.
CIO, the 50-50 consortium between Leonardo and Iveco, later on Friday said in a separate statement that it had won the contract to supply 8-wheel drive Centauro II armoured vehicles fitted with a 120 mm armament.
It did not say how many vehicles it would supply nor give the value of the deal.
($1 = 0.9614 euros)
(Reporting by Angelo Amante and Giulio Piovaccari, writing by Agnieszka Flak, editing by Gianluca Semeraro, Kirsten Donovan)
