The Italian military landscape is undergoing a significant transformation with the recent arrival of four Lynx fighting vehicles from Rheinmetall. This delivery marks the initial phase of an extensive order comprising 1,050 vehicles.
Unveiled at the Montelibretti test range near Rome, the presentation was attended by high-ranking officials, including Italy’s defense chief and defense minister, alongside executives from Leonardo and Rheinmetall. These two companies have partnered to advance Italy’s defense capabilities, as emphasized in their collaborative venture.
Rheinmetall’s European vehicles head, Björn Bernhard, expressed the strategic significance of this initiative. Highlighting Europe’s fragmented defense systems, Bernhard stated, “Europe remains fragmented with too many systems, too many supply chains, too little industrial depth. It is unsustainable, it is simply dangerous.” He further added that the Lynx program is a step towards necessary industrial integration, enhancing Europe’s resilience.
This vehicle delivery aligns with a recent defense cooperation agreement between Italy and Germany. The agreement aims to reduce system fragmentation, improve standardization, and boost interoperability, thereby strengthening the European defense sector.
The initial four vehicles will soon be supplemented by a fifth, featuring a Rheinmetall-supplied turret. Subsequently, an additional 16 Lynx vehicles, equipped with a Leonardo-built Hitfist 30mm turret, are scheduled for delivery between October and early 2027.
Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani mentioned that the integration of Italian turrets with Rheinmetall Lynx chassis is likely to occur at Leonardo’s La Spezia facility or at Iveco Defence Vehicles, which Leonardo acquired last year.
Furthermore, the first five vehicles will be retrofitted with the Hitfist turret. Luca Perazzo, Leonardo’s deputy managing director of defense systems, revealed that the Italian Army might opt for an additional 30 vehicles in the same configuration, a decision expected within the first half of the year.
This collaboration stems from the 2024 establishment of the Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles joint venture. Perazzo also mentioned plans for a comprehensive contract covering five additional Lynx variants, designed for 16 different roles. Prototypes of these variants are expected between 2027 and 2028, preceding mass production.
According to Bernhard, this initiative will unify the capabilities of an armored brigade under a single technological framework for the first time. Moreover, the Italian army plans to produce 272 variants of Rheinmetall’s Panther tanks, raising the total deal value to 23 billion euros ($27.5 billion).
Leonardo’s Cingolani noted that first Panther prototypes are slated for delivery between late 2029 and early 2030.
Both the Lynx and Panther initiatives are now eligible for the European Union’s SAFE plan, allowing EU countries to allocate SAFE defense spending loans towards these vehicles, as confirmed by Perazzo to Defense News.
