Italian Leonardo Group eyes participation in next-gen Leopard 2 tank program.

Italy's Leonardo Group has announced its intention to be a part of the development of the "next generation" Leopard 2 tank. This initiative is part of Italy's strategic defense planning and its commitment to NATO.
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The Italian Ministry of Defense had previously revealed plans to acquire 133 Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany, aligning with its NATO commitments. (Picture source: Army Recognition )

The Italian Ministry of Defense had previously revealed plans to acquire 133 Leopard 2A8 tanks from Germany, aligning with its NATO commitments. Simultaneously, France had suggested Italy's inclusion in the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) program, a move seen as balancing the influence between France, Germany, and Italy in European ground combat capabilities.

The Italian government's multi-year programmatic document for 2023-2025, unveiled in October, hints at the procurement of "latest generation" Leopard tanks. However, it stops short of specifically mentioning the Leopard 2A8 model. The document estimates a financial requirement of 8,246 billion euros for this project by 2037, emphasizing that the initiative is not just about fulfilling current needs but also about laying the groundwork for a partnership in developing a future European main battle tank, in line with the principles being formulated under the Franco-German MGCS project.

Furthermore, the document earmarks 15 billion euros for the Armored Infantry Combat System (AICS) program for the period 2024-2037. Described by Rivista Italiana Difesa as a "terrestrial F-35," the AICS program aims to develop a diverse range of military vehicles, from heavy reconnaissance variants equipped with 120 mm cannons to anti-drone variants, capable of multi-domain operations. Italy is keen on finding synergies between AICS and MGCS.

The ambiguity remains over whether Italy's reference to "latest generation" Leopard tanks pertains to the Leopard 2A8 model, especially in light of German manufacturers considering the development of a Leopard 2AX model.

Roberto Cingolani, CEO of Leonardo, on November 9, confirmed the group's ambition to join the German-led program for a new generation Leopard 2 tank. "We are actively working towards this direction, and the negotiations are progressing well," Cingolani stated, as per Reuters. However, he refrained from divulging further details.

Cingolani's remarks have led to speculation about Leonardo's potential role, possibly in collaboration with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Rheinmetall, Saab, and Indra, in the European Commission's Future Main Battle Tank (FMBT) program. This 30 million euro project is aimed at conducting studies for a new European main battle tank, an initiative that had stirred some controversy in August, as it appeared to potentially undermine the MGCS. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius later clarified that this initiative is limited to German industrial stakeholders and does not bind the German government.