Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles, a joint venture between German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and Italian defense solutions company Leonardo, has received regulatory approval from Bundeskartellamt, Germany’s federal cartel office.
LRMV was established to develop and market the Italian Main Battle Tank and the Lynx platform for the Italian Army’s Armoured Infantry Combat System. The joint venture will use Rheinmetall’s Panther KF51 as the base platform for the new tanks designed for the AICS program, which is expected to order over 1,000 armored combat systems in 16 different variants.
The Pather KF51 features a 130 mm Future Gun System, optimized sensor-to-shooter links, and an integrated survivability concept that includes both on-platform and off-platform sensors. Additionally, it adheres to NATO’s Generic Vehicle Architecture standards for its digital architecture.
Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger said the new entity anticipates receiving its first order in the coming months. “Amid the current geopolitical situation, our project with Leonardo is of great importance for supplying the armed forces with the right equipment for the job, and thus for security in Europe,” he said.
Discussions regarding the joint venture began in July when Rheinmetall and Leonardo considered supporting the development of the Italian Army’s ground systems programs. The two companies formalized the agreement in October, pending approval from the German government.
Under the joint venture, Rheinmetall and Leonardo will each hold a 50 percent share. LRMV’s headquarters will be located in Rome and its operational facility in La Spezia.