Italy reportedly orders KF51 Panther tanks and Lynx armored vehicles

Italy has reportedly placed orders for 30 KF51 Panther main battle tanks and 48 KF41 Lynx infantry combat vehicles through the Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV) joint venture. The two contracts are valued at approximately €3.7 billion, according to reports from Italian media.

The tank acquisition is part of the New Main Battle Tank (NMBT) program, which aims to develop a specific configuration for the Italian Army to replace the aging Ariete tanks. If confirmed, this would mark the first production order for any version of the KF51 Panther platform.

The Lynx vehicle order falls under the Army Armoured Combat System (A2CS) program, intended to replace the VCC-80 Dardo. This new batch would add to the 21 vehicles previously contracted. Italy’s long-term modernization plans include acquiring approximately 1,050 Lynx-family vehicles in various configurations, such as command, reconnaissance, and ambulance versions, as well as 132 additional main battle tanks and 140 support vehicles.