Italy has affirmed its plan to acquire over 1,000 KF41 Lynx infantry fighting vehicles and up to 380 KF51 Panther main battle tanks from Rheinmetall.
Revealed at a convention in England, the project will invest approximately 16 billion euros ($16.6 billion) in the Lynx systems and about 10 billion euros ($10.4 billion) in the Panthers.
Army Recognition reported that Rome’s Lynx procurement will encompass 1,050 vehicles in 16 variants including the base combat model, anti-tank missile carrier, artillery reconnaissance, self-propelled mortars, and engineering support configurations.
Additional variants expected from this package include those with air defense, medical evacuation, technical recovery, and resupply roles.
Meanwhile, the Panther deal stipulates up to 380 units that will be fitted with Italian military-compliant solutions.
Some of the vehicles under this tranche will be modified into support vehicles.
Investment Cap at $31 Billion
The Italian defense agency first revealed in 2024 that the program would be the “largest-ever contract” for the German industry partner.
During that time, Rome was expected to set aside around 20 billion euros ($20.8 billion) for its fleet expansion over a 15-year period. First estimates included only 350 Lynx vehicles and 200 Panther tanks.