Italy negotiates the purchase of German Leopard 2A7 - 2A8 MBTs tanks.

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.
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Germany army Leopard 2A7V MBT Main Battle Tank. (Picture source Army Recognition)

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.

According to military open-source information, currently, the Italian army has a total of C1 Ariete MBTs. The C1 Ariete is the primary main battle tank (MBT) deployed by the Italian Army, having been developed by a consortium comprising of Iveco-Fiat and Oto Melara, aptly named the CIO (Consorzio Iveco Oto Melara). The responsibility of production was split between these two entities; Iveco was in charge of producing the chassis and engine, while Oto Melara took on the task of supplying the turret and fire-control system. This tank is equipped with state-of-the-art optical and digital-imaging technology, along with a sophisticated fire-control system that allows for day and night combat, even while the tank is in motion. The development process of the Ariete began in 1984, and the first prototypes were rolled out just two years later in 1986.

In July 2022, the Army Recognition editorial team reported that the Italian MoD (Ministry of Defense) announced the "green light" for the Italian Army’s upgrade program of its C1 Ariete MBT (AMV/Aggiornamento Mezza Vita, Mid-Life Update), which will apply to 125 tanks. A budget of EUR 848.8 Mn has been allocated for 2022.

With the announcement of the purchase of the Leopard 2 by Italy, it would be a big change for the Italian army to switch from Italian-made tanks to German tanks, but once again this would be a new success for the company German KMW.

The Leopard 2A7V ("V" stands for "Verbessert", the German term for "improved"), represents the most recent version of the Leopard 2A7, developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and unveiled for the time during the edition 2016 of Eurosatory, an international defense exhibition that was held in Paris, France.

This modernized version of the Leopard 2A7 is essentially KMW's answer to the upgrade programs projected by the German Armed Forces for their Leopard 2A6 Tanks. These upgrade plans have been particularly formulated with an eye towards forthcoming procurement projects. An announcement regarding whether the Leopard 2A7V will be selected was expected to take place between 2017 and 2018.

Compared to the Leopard 2A7 tank, which has been in service with the German Army since December 2014, the Leopard 2A7V features a few significant enhancements. It has a new armored modular system for the upper front glacis plate of the hull and an upgraded, more potent Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) compared to the one utilized on the A7 model.

The Leopard 2A7V upgrades comprise several key features. The tank now has increased hull mine protection and a 20 KW Auxiliary Power Unit. The vehicle is also equipped with an air-conditioning unit, solar-reducing Barracuda matting, and a Battlefield Management System. The tank’s optical systems have also been upgraded with a third-generation Attica thermal imaging unit for both the Commander’s Independent Sight and Gunner's Sight, and a Spectus multi-spectral driver’s vision device. The fire control system has been modified to program the DM 11 High Explosive 120mm round. Additionally, an extra layer of modular armor has been added to the upper glacis.