ROME — The team-up between Leonardo and Rheinmetall to fulfill a huge vehicle order for the Italian army has received its first contract, the manufacturers said on Wednesday.
The 50-50 joint venture between the Italian and German firms has signed to supply 21 Rheinmetall Lynx tracked fighting vehicles, part of an eventual planned order of 1,050 vehicles by the Italian army.
David Hoeder, the executive chairman of Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles, said the deal “brings the two companies, as well as two of Europe’s largest countries, closer together. Cooperation is not optional anymore – it is the very essence of our European strategic sovereignty.”
Last year the companies agreed to team up to build the Lynxs and 272 copies of Rheinmetall’s Panther tanks – a €23 billion deal to renew the Italian army’s near-obsolete tracked vehicle inventory.
Both programs will involve assembly in Italy and the use of Leonardo components.
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The firms said the first five of the Lynx’s would feature the Lance turret while the remaining 16 would be equipped with Leonardo’s Hitfist 30mm turret.
In January this year, the firms said the first five vehicles would be delivered by the end of 2025, adding that Leonardo’s new 30mm X-Gun would also be mounted. The Italian company is also expected to install its own C4I system, electro optic sensor and radar as well as radio.
The Lynx will be produced for Italy in five variants which will in turn carry out 16 roles between them. The variants are: 120mm, 30mm, Mortar, Air Defense and Non-Turreted.
Formerly known as the AICS program by the Italian army, the Lynx purchase is now known as the A2CS – Army Armored Combat System program.
Tom Kington is the Italy correspondent for Defense News.
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