In a significant milestone for European defense cooperation, the Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles joint venture has secured its first major contract to supply next-generation armored vehicles to the Italian Army. The initial order is for 21 advanced tracked combat vehicles.
Under the agreement, the JV will deliver 5 Rheinmetall Lynx KF-41 infantry fighting vehicles equipped with the Lance turret. These will be followed by 16 newly configured vehicles, which will merge the Lynx chassis with Leonardo’s advanced Hitfact 30mm turret. The contract also includes the future upgrade of the initial five Lynx vehicles to this unified Leonardo turret configuration, along with training, simulation systems, and an option for 30 additional vehicles.
This supply forms the first step of the ambitious A2CS (Army Armoured Combat System) program, formerly known as AICS. The overarching program aims to acquire up to 1,050 new armored combat vehicles, working in tandem with a new Main Battle Tank program to completely renew the Italian Army’s heavy armored fleet.
David Hoeder, Executive Chairman of the JV, hailed the contract as a crucial achievement. “This first joint order… is an important milestone. It brings the two companies, as well as two of Europe’s largest countries, closer together,” he stated, emphasizing that “Cooperation is not optional anymore – it is the very essence of our European strategic sovereignty.”
CEO Laurent Sissmann echoed this sentiment, highlighting the industrial synergy: “We are pleased to announce this first step… We will work side by side to provide cutting-edge armoured vehicles, able to operate in modern operational scenarios.”
The vehicles represent a fusion of German and Italian defense technology, designed to be fully digitalized and capable of interoperable, multi-domain operations. The first vehicle delivery is anticipated by the end of 2025, marking the practical launch of a partnership set to shape the future of European land forces for decades to come.
