TSAMTO, September 25. The Department of Armaments of the Italian Ministry of Defense (DAT) has begun the procedure for the purchase of new MBT based on the KF51 Panther developed by Rheinmetall, as well as special vehicles created on a common platform.
The marginal cost of the purchase is 5,143 billion. euro.
The program is designed for 2025-2038 and provides for the purchase of up to 132 MBT to equip two tank regiments and training units, as well as 140 tracked vehicles on a unified platform. The number of derivative variants should include BREM, engineering vehicles and tank bridge-laying machines. The program also includes multi-year integrated logistics, training of crews and technical personnel, purchase of ammunition for qualification tests and combat training, vehicles and infrastructure modernization.
The proposed executor of the program may be a joint venture Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV), created by Italian Leonardo and German Rheinmetall on a parity basis.
The basic technical solution for the Italian MBT NMBT (New Main Battle Tank) is the KF51 Panther platform developed by Rheinmetall. The demonstrator presented by the LRMV at Eurosatory 2026 reflects the intended composition of the main systems, but at the moment it is not a confirmed final configuration of a production tank.
The claimed NMBT weapon system includes a 120-mm smoothbore cannon with a barrel length of 55 calibers, an automatic loader and a mechanized stack for 20 ready-to-use shots. The design of the tower provides for the possibility of subsequent installation of a 130-mm cannon. The use of guided munitions of the Vulcano family is claimed to hit targets beyond the line of sight.
The auxiliary armament includes a paired 12.7 mm machine gun and a remotely controlled combat module with a 30 mm automatic cannon for 30x113 mm ammunition. The module should ensure the destruction of ground targets and small-sized unmanned aerial vehicles as part of the UAV counteraction system (C-UAS). It also provides for the integration of barrage ammunition and the workplace of the operator of unmanned aircraft systems.
The declared combat weight of the NMBT, taking into account the reserve for subsequent modernization, is up to 69.5 tons. The machine should receive a remote electric drive control system and reach a maximum speed of up to 70 km/h. The estimated range is up to 450 km.
The protection complex should combine modular passive armor, mine protection and active protection against anti-tank guided missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, unmanned aerial vehicles and kinetic armor-piercing ammunition. The equipment should also include a circular optoelectronic viewing system, radiation warning devices, and a Stealth-Watch surveillance mode that allows the use of some sensors when the main power plant is turned off.
The program is being implemented in parallel with the A2CS program, which provides for the purchase of up to 1,050 tracked armored vehicles based on the KF41 Lynx in several variants. These machines are not included in the published procedure worth 5,143 billion. euro. The first separate A2CS contract includes 21 vehicles, including five KF41 Lynx with a Lance turret and 16 vehicles with a 30 mm Hitfist turret. The first four vehicles were transferred to the Italian Ground Forces in January 2026.
According to Leonardo's updated schedule, the delivery of a total of 104 MBT and A2CS vehicles, previously scheduled for 2029, has been postponed to 2030. In the specified year, it is planned to transfer 34 MBT and machines based on them, as well as 70 platforms of the A2CS family. The period of reaching maximum production volumes was shifted from 2030-2031 to 2031-2032.
