Italy's Ariete Replacement Surfaces as a KF-51 Panther, Built by Leonardo and Rheinmetall
Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles showed Italy's New Main Battle Tank at Eurosatory 2026, a KF-51 Panther derivative meant to replace the Ariete. Both firms told Janes it stays in development; no order is signed.
Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles showed Italy's New Main Battle Tank at Eurosatory 2026, a KF-51 Panther derivative meant to replace the Ariete. Both firms told Janes it stays in development; no order is signed.
Italy's next main battle tank will be built on Rheinmetall's KF-51 Panther. The Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV) joint venture unveiled the New Main Battle Tank concept demonstrator at the Eurosatory 2026 show in Paris on 16 June, Janes reported. Representatives from both parent firms said the NMBT remains in development, and the vehicle on the stand was a demonstrator, not the production design.
The demonstrator married a new turret to a Leopard 2A4 hull, an interim choice LRMV said will not carry to production. The NMBT is built around the Panther's architecture and configured against the Italian Army's stated requirements as the JV's first offer to Rome, ESUT wrote. It carries a 120mm L55 smoothbore with an autoloader and 20 ready rounds, fitted to fire Leonardo's Vulcano guided projectile out to 30 km. A roof-mounted 30mm station handles counter-drone work.
The turret is engineered from the start to take Rheinmetall's 130mm Future Gun System. LRMV executive chairman David Hoeder told Hartpunkt at Eurosatory the team swapped a test vehicle from 120mm to 130mm in under twelve hours. Combat weight runs to 69.5 tonnes; protection pairs passive armor with Rheinmetall's Strike Shield active system, per Hartpunkt.
The NMBT targets the Ariete, in service since 1995. Rome plans 132 tanks plus at least 140 support vehicles across 2027 to 2035, a roughly €8bn program by ESUT's account, with no contract signed for it yet.
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Subscribe Free →The reveal lands while Europe rebuilds heavy armor and the Franco-German MGCS slips toward the 2040s, The War Zone noted. A Panther derivative for Italy puts Rheinmetall's private-venture tank into a second NATO army and hands Leonardo the gun and fire control. Hoeder told Hartpunkt that, after a contract and development, testing would start in 2028 and series production around 2029.
Frequently Asked Questions
Has Italy ordered the NMBT?
No. Representatives from Leonardo and Rheinmetall told Janes the New Main Battle Tank remains in development, and the vehicle shown at Eurosatory 2026 was a concept demonstrator. ESUT describes the procurement of 132 tanks as planned for 2027 to 2035, not yet under contract.
What is the NMBT based on?
Rheinmetall's KF-51 Panther. Per ESUT, the Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles joint venture configured the tank around the Panther's architecture to meet the Italian Army's requirements, with Leonardo supplying the main gun and fire control.
What gun does it carry?
A 120mm L55 smoothbore with an autoloader and 20 ready rounds, able to fire Leonardo's Vulcano guided round to 30 km, per ESUT and Hartpunkt. The turret is designed to later accept Rheinmetall's 130mm Future Gun System.
What does the NMBT replace?
The Ariete, Italy's current main battle tank, in service since 1995, according to Shephard Media.
When could it field?
LRMV executive chairman David Hoeder told Hartpunkt that, after a contract and development, testing would begin in 2028 and series production around 2029.
AI-generated summary, reviewed by an editor. More on our AI guidelines.
Marcus Schuler
Marcus Schuler edits BattlePolicy, a daily defense-technology brief connecting the companies and capabilities behind modern war to the contest among Europe, the US, Russia, and China.