Rome is looking to replace its aging tank fleet—and is pursuing agreements with Germany for new vehicles.

Multiple NATO member nations have been modernizing their respective militaries in recent years, despite some claims from the current administration in Washington. Poland is already well on track to be a major tank powerhouse, but it won’t be alone.

Italy is now reported to be on track to receive at least 380 new MBTs, along with more than 1,000 infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs). Defense Industry Europe reported on Sunday that Italy’s Ministry of Defense is set to move forward with the two procurement programs, after details “emerged” at the recent International Armoured Vehicles 2025 conference in Farnborough, UK.

Italy Is Looking at the KF51 Panther and Lynx IFV

Rome is looking to replace its aging fleet of C1 and C2 Ariete tanks—which were developed domestically at the end of the Cold War and then upgraded in the early 2000s respectively. The Italian military saw its MBTs upgraded with sensors and a ballistic computer in 2023.

Even as the C2 models have received upgrades, Rome will seek to retire the older C1 variants by the end of the decade, and it now appears that Italy will adopt the German-designed KF51 Panther, a next-generation MBT that has been under development at Rheinmetall. It was first unveiled at the Eurosatory 2022 Defense Exhibition in Paris in 2022. Last July, Italy’s Leonardo announced a 50:50 joint venture with Rheinmetall, which will oversee the final assembly, the homologation testing, and logistic support completed in Italy. An Italian workforce will handle 60% of the production.

In addition, the Italian firm will aid in the manufacture of Rome’s replacement fleet of IFVs, which will be based on the KF41 Lynx. The upgraded version of the Lynx is available in more than a dozen variants, and Italy will receive the basic IFV models, along with versions tailored to fill other roles. According to Defence Industry Europe, these will include “command vehicles, self-propelled mortars (both 120mm and 81mm), an anti-tank missile carrier, artillery reconnaissance, and engineering support vehicles.”

The KF51 Panther in the Crosshairs

Based on the modular, open NGVA—NATO Generic Vehicle Architecture—the KF51 Panther employs the hull/chassis of the Leopard 2A4, but with a newly developed turret with an autoloading 130mm main gun. It was developed from lessons learned in recent conflicts, while it can be upgraded with innovation cycles.

The fourth-generation MBT will be operated by a crew of three—with an option for a fourth crew member that could include a company commander, or drone operator/wingman pilot. Sensor and weapon control assignments can be passed between crew members instantly, and each workstation can handover/takeover tasks and roles from others with no reduction of functionality.

The Panther’s digital NGVA architecture will further enable the integration of additional sensors for detecting launch signatures, and its pre-shot detection capability can be employed to recognize and neutralize threats at an early stage on the battlefield.

The tank was further designed to counter threats from drones, while the KF51can operate in a contested electromagnetic environment and has been fully hardened against modern cyber threats.

Beyond Germany and Italy, Hungary has also expressed interest in the fourth-gen MBT, and Rheinmetall has suggested it would be target operators of the Leopard 2 as future customers.

About the Author: Peter Suciu 

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

Image: Wikimedia Commons.