ROME, — Italy has reportedly ordered 30 Panther-based main battle tanks and 48 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) from Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV) under contracts valued at €3.7 billion, according to Italian financial newspaper Milano Finanza on October 22. However, the Italian government, Leonardo, Rheinmetall and their joint venture have not formally confirmed the reported orders.
Leonardo CEO Lorenzo Mariani recently said the tank programme was “ready to enter production,” adding that official announcements must be coordinated with the customer.
Panther Tanks Under the NMBT Programme
The 30 tanks will be based on Rheinmetall’s KF51 Panther platform and built to Italian requirements under the New Main Battle Tank (NMBT/I-MBT) programme. If confirmed, the order would be the first production contract for any version of the Panther.
The new tanks are intended to serve alongside Italy’s upgraded C2 Ariete main battle tanks. Leonardo will contribute electronics, mission systems and weapons integration to the Italian configuration.
The wider programme aims to procure 132 main battle tanks and 140 support vehicles by 2037. Delivery dates and the division of the reported €3.7 billion value between development and production have not been disclosed.
Lynx IFVs to Replace Older Dardo Vehicles
The reported order includes 48 Lynx IFVs under the Italian Army’s Armoured Combat System (A2CS) programme, adding to an initial order of 21 vehicles placed in late 2025.
Of the first 21 vehicles, five were acquired in an interim configuration based on Hungary’s Hiúz variant, while 16 were adapted to Italian requirements. The first four were delivered in January 2026 for testing at the Montelibretti range near Rome.
The earlier agreement included options and provisions for upgrades to the Italian configuration featuring Leonardo’s Hitfist turret. It remains unclear whether the newly reported 48 vehicles will differ from the configuration already under development, and their delivery schedule has not been announced.
Italy plans to acquire approximately 1,050 Lynx ITA/A2CS vehicles across more than a dozen variants, including command, reconnaissance and medical versions. Based on Rheinmetall’s KF41 platform, the Lynx is intended to replace the Italian Army’s ageing VCC-80 Dardo infantry fighting vehicles. The A2CS programme is scheduled to continue until 2040.
Italian Production and Joint Venture
Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles, a 50:50 joint venture established in 2024 by Italy’s Leonardo and Germany’s Rheinmetall, is responsible for the industrial development and production of both vehicle families.
Headquartered in Rome, with operational bases in La Spezia, the joint venture is expected to conduct approximately 60% of the programme’s industrial activities in Italy. These include development, final assembly, systems integration, qualification testing, delivery and logistical support.
Long-Term Defence Investment
The reported €3.7 billion order forms part of Italy’s broader armoured vehicle modernisation strategy. The tank programme is planned to run until 2037, while A2CS will continue until 2040.
Together, the two programmes are expected to cost approximately €23 billion over their lifespans. The reported orders would support the replacement of older tracked vehicles and the introduction of new tanks and infantry fighting vehicles into Italian Army service.
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