TechItaly to revamp armor with 380 futuristic Panther tanks

Italy to revamp armor with 380 futuristic Panther tanks

The Italian defense minister has announced plans to acquire 380 KF51 Panther tanks, eventually replacing the currently used C1/C2 Ariete tanks. We present the capabilities of this heavily promoted armored vehicle of the future from Germany.

KF51 Panther tank
KF51 Panther tank
Images source: © European Defence Review

According to Defense Industry Europe portal, on January 16, the Italian defense minister revealed plans at the IAV 2025 conference to acquire up to 380 KF51 Panther tanks. Based on the KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicle chassis, these tanks will complement over a thousand vehicles. The program is expected to be worth over 10 billion euros, and the new tanks will eventually replace the C1/C2 Ariete models.

This development continues the modernization program, which initially planned to purchase Leopard 2A8 tanks. However, the plan fell through because the Italian arms industry could not reach an agreement with the German consortium KNDS. Rheinmetall ultimately offered Italy a more favorable deal.

Current estimates indicate that under the joint venture Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV), established in October 2024, as much as 60% of the production will be carried out in Italy at the factories in La Spezia.

KF51 Panther — a ready tank project of the future from Europe

The KF51 Panther is a modern tank, representing an evolution of the legendary Leopard 2 concept. It is lighter than the Leopard 2 but equipped with a more powerful cannon and an advanced situational awareness system.

The recently showcased version of the KF51 Panther weighs 65 tons, and its design has been adapted for rail transportation in compliance with the AMovP-4L tunnel standard. Despite its lower weight compared to the latest Leopard 2 models, which weigh about 77 tons, the protection level of the KF51 is expected to remain at a similar or even superior level. The standard also includes a necessary active protection system.

It's worth noting that designing from scratch is often easier than adapting existing structures, such as a tank turret. In older designs, every added kilogram in the form of armor or new systems requires counterbalancing, which is not necessary when designing from scratch.

The current version of the KF51 Panther was presented with a manned turret, although a KF51U variant with an unmanned turret was also showcased. It is equipped with a new 130 mm Rh-130 cannon, which provides 50% more kinetic energy than the currently used 120 mm Rh-120 guns. The energy generated by the new cannon reaches 15-20 MJ, which is expected to ensure the destruction of any existing tank, including the Russian T-14 Armata.

The tank crew consists of three soldiers, made possible by an automatic loader. Optionally, a fourth crew member can be added to operate unmanned systems, such as Hero-120 loitering munitions capable of conducting reconnaissance missions or attacking targets up to 37 miles away. Overall, it offers a much better platform than the Leopard 2A8 for countries that need a new platform immediately.

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