In recent defense news, Italy is said to be in advanced negotiations for the procurement of an undisclosed number of Leopard 2A7 or Leopard 2A8 tanks, as reported by the Italian Defense magazine RID (Rivista Italiana Difesa). The deal is being brokered with KNDS, a joint venture between the German firm Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Nexter Systems from France.
As per RID, the Italian army is set to augment their armored forces with Leopard 2 main battle tanks (MBTs), and the negotiations are nearing conclusion. The financial magnitude of the acquisition is estimated to be between 4 and 6 billion euros.
In an earlier announcement, the Italian Ministry of Defense confirmed plans to purchase at least 125 new tanks to partially replace the C.1 Ariete tanks currently in use by the Esercito Italiano. Developments in these procurement plans are progressing swiftly.
As mentioned by RID on June 15, the negotiations with KMW for the Leopard 2 tanks, specifically the A7/A8 models, can now be categorized as advancing. RID further noted that this acquisition, though costly, would solidify the strategic alliance between Italy and Germany.
However, as the deal is likely to be structured as a “government to government” agreement, some level of compensation from the Italian side is expected. RID suggested that simply producing the tanks under license in Italy might not suffice. Potential alternative considerations could include Italy’s procurement of AW-249 attack helicopters or a preference for the Franco-Italian SAMP/T air defense system over the American Patriot system.