Due to the Allied landing in Anzio-Nettuno, Italy, the first eleven complete and updated "Ferdinand"s were issued to the 1st company of 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion (German: "schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 653", "sPzJgrAbt 653") and were deployed at the end of February 1944. The remaining 37 vehicles were completed in April and were issued to the 2nd and 3rd companies of "sPzJgrAbt" 653 which boarded trains and sent to the Tarnopol battles in Ukraine.