Rheinmetall in talks with Ukraine regarding Panther tanks

German armament manufacturer Rheinmetall wants to supply Ukraine with its latest weapons models, including promising KF51 Panther tanks.

Handelsblatt Business daily reported this, citing Armin Papperger, the concern`s CEO.

“Ukraine is interested in Lynx and Panther – the most modern infantry fighting vehicles and battle tanks,” Armin Papperger shared.

He emphasized that negotiations with Kyiv are already ongoing.

If they are successful, the German government would have to approve the export of German-manufactured armored vehicles, the publication reports.

KF51 Panther

The German concern Rheinmetall first presented a prototype of the Panther KF51 tank last year at the Eurosatory-2022 arms exhibition.

Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger called this combat vehicle the successor to the Leopard 2 tank. However, to date, not a single serial vehicle of this type has yet been built besides several prototypes.

The prototype is very different from the classic tank models of NATO member states. It is designed to incorporate new technologies and solutions.

The main weapon of the KF51 is the new Rh120 130mm 52 caliber long smoothbore gun, which should replace the current 120mm guns of the NATO standard. The gun is to be operated in conjunction with a new loading machine that can hold 20 rounds of ammunition. It is located in the aft niche of the tank turret.

The tank is designed for a crew of three: a commander, a gunner in the tower, and a driver. in addition, there is a workplace for the UAV operator or unit commander.

The tank houses an aerial reconnaissance drone control system, which should increase the situational awareness of the crew. The HERO 120 loitering munition launcher is also integrated into the turret.

KF41 Lynx

KF41 Lynx is a heavy IFV, weighing about 44 tons, introduced by Rheinmetall in 2018. Its main armament is a LANCE turret with a 30- or 35-mm gun and an anti-tank missile launcher, which can be equipped according to customer requirements.

The crew of the combat vehicle is three people. For landing, up to 9 fighters can be accommodated.

The IFV is protected from 30 mm shells in the frontal projection and from 14.5 mm in the lateral ones. The bottom of the vehicle guarantees explosion protection equivalent to 10 kg of TNT. The IFV is powered by a 1470 strong Liebherr D9612 engine, which allows reaching a speed of 70 km/h. The range along the highway is 500 km.