The Italian Ministry of Defence has launched a 5.14-billion-euro ($5.84-billion) procurement for a new main battle tank and derivative vehicles for the Italian Army.
As part of a broader modernization program, Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV) is developing the Panther KF51-based main battle tank and the Lynx-based Army Armoured Combat System (A2CS).
The new tank is intended to replace the Italian Army’s aging Ariete fleet, while the A2CS will replace the Dardo infantry fighting vehicle and provide multiple variants for the army.
LRMV, a 50:50 joint venture established in 2024 by Italy’s Leonardo and Germany’s Rheinmetall, is responsible for the industrial development and subsequent marketing of the two vehicle systems.
Italian media have reported that around 60 percent of the work on the vehicles will be carried out in Italy. The broader program calls for 272 main battle tanks and about 1,050 tracked infantry combat vehicles, with an estimated total value of 23.2 billion euros ($26 billion) through 2040.
KF51 Panther and KF41 Lynx
The Panther is a 10-meter (33-foot) main battle tank equipped with reconfigurable protective armor and a 130-millimeter smoothbore main gun.
Its armament also includes 12.7- and 7.62-millimeter machine guns and loitering munitions. Powered by a 1,100-horsepower engine, the tank can reach speeds of up to 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour and has a range of about 500 kilometers (311 miles).
An 8-meter (26-foot) tracked vehicle, the Lynx is armed with 30- or 35-millimeter autocannons, light machine guns, smoke grenade launchers, aerial drone launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles.
It uses a diesel engine producing up to 1,100 horsepower and has a top speed and range comparable to the Panther.