The first two KF51 Panther tanks, previously offered to Ukraine's Armed Forces, will be delivered to the Italian Army in 2027 by LRMV, a joint venture between Leonardo and Rheinmetall. The first five KF41 Lynx IFVs will also arrive this year.
This information was published in Leonardo's report for the second quarter of 2025. It explains that the earlier delivery was due to the Ministry of Defense's need to begin personnel training.
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The report notes that the vehicles will arrive in an "international" configuration, meaning they will not include any modifications tailored to Italy. Most likely, this is why the delivery will occur earlier than planned.
First of all, the new deadlines draw attention because of the precise schedule for the KF51 Panther tanks' readiness. It should be noted that this vehicle currently exists only as a technology demonstrator built on the Leopard 2A4 chassis.
This aligns with the possibility of supplying KF41 Lynx vehicles this year, as they are already in mass production for Hungary. Moreover, this IFV is already being tested in Ukraine and is being prepared for production in Romania.
From Defense Express we would like to note that a two-year delivery timeline for the Panther does not seem surprisingly short for a new tank, especially considering it is a modification of the Leopard 2. In other words, this is a typical costly Western vehicle without any significant modifications.
Since tank production in Europe currently amounts to only about fifty units per year, it cannot be compared to the results of the russian federation. This is why they are falling behind South Korea, where K2 production is now running at full capacity.
It should be noted that Leonardo recently tested a new powerful tank gun with a range of 30 km, which will be installed on 82 Panther tanks for Italy. Meanwhile, 50 of the 132 tanks currently ordered will be equipped with Rheinmetall’s L55A1 guns.
An interesting fact is that Leonardo's report mentions 272 KF51 tanks, which most likely includes unpaid vehicles that the company plans to manufacture in the future. Altogether, these tanks are scheduled to be manufactured for Italy by 2033.
It should also be noted that Leonardo recently acquired the military division of the Italian company Iveco. As a result, Leonardo gained rights to an extensive range of equipment, including the Centauro series of wheeled tanks.
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