ROME — Italy has started the procurement of new New Main Battle Tanks (NMBT) and specialized vehicles based on the same platform under a programme worth €5.14 billion.
The procurement procedure, identified as BD0D09994D, was published on September 21 in the database of Italy’s National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC). The Italian Ministry of Defense is the contracting authority.
NMBT Programme
The programme is intended to modernize Italy’s heavy armored vehicle fleet and eventually replace the ageing C1 Ariete main battle tanks. Earlier requirements called for approximately 132 new tanks, along with specialized vehicles based on the same platform.
The programme is planned to continue into the 2030s, with some procurement documents indicating overall completion by 2038.
The NMBT is being developed by Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV), a 50:50 joint venture established in 2024 by Italy’s Leonardo and Germany’s Rheinmetall.
Based on the KF51 Panther
The NMBT draws on Rheinmetall’s KF51 Panther development, but the Italian vehicle is being developed as a separate platform according to Italian Army requirements.
The demonstrator displayed at Eurosatory 2026 used a Leopard 2A4 hull with a new turret. LRMV said this configuration is not intended for the production version. The final tank is expected to use a new chassis with improved mobility and protection.
Armament and Capabilities
According to Leonardo, the NMBT will feature a 120 mm L55 smoothbore gun with an automatic loader carrying 20 ready-to-use rounds. The design also allows for a future upgrade to a 130 mm gun.
Additional weapons will include:
- A 12.7 mm machine gun
- A remotely controlled weapon station with a 30×113 mm cannon
- Capability to engage drones
The tank will also be able to use loitering munitions and control reconnaissance UAVs. The crew will consist of three personnel, with space for a fourth operator.
Protection and Mobility
The NMBT is planned to have a combat weight of up to 69.5 tonnes, a maximum speed of up to 70 km/h and a range of approximately 450 km.
Its protection will combine passive armor and active protection systems designed to counter anti-tank threats and drones.
Production Timeline
Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said the first NMBT prototypes are expected to be delivered in 2029–2030. The timeline is one to two years later than earlier projections, with Cingolani citing the greater technical complexity of the main battle tank programme compared with the parallel Armoured Combat System (A2CS) programme.
The current procurement covers 132 main battle tanks and an undisclosed number of specialized vehicles. These are expected to include recovery, engineering and bridge-laying variants. Earlier planning documents referred to at least 140 support vehicles, although the latest procurement notice does not disclose the final number.
The NMBT programme is being developed alongside the A2CS programme, which uses Rheinmetall’s KF41 Lynx platform and is intended to replace Italy’s older Dardo infantry fighting vehicles.
Together, the programmes form a major part of Italy’s planned modernization of its tracked armored vehicle fleet.
Main Source : militarnyi
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