Worth 288 million euros
Rheinmetall receives battle tank order from Hungary
December 15, 2023, 11:11 a.m
Rheinmetall is having a successful week. Hungary commissions the arms company to develop the Panther KF51 main battle tank until it is ready for series production. There has already been a major order from Austria.
The armaments company Rheinmetall has received an order from Hungary to develop the Panther KF51 main battle tank until it is ready for series production. A corresponding contract was signed in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, as Rheinmetall announced. The development contract is worth around 288 million euros.
The initial plan is to build and qualify a demonstrator, which will prepare for series production. Rheinmetall is cooperating on the project with the Hungarian state holding company N7, which also has a 49 percent stake in the Rheinmetall Hungary joint venture.
According to Rheinmetall AG CEO Armin Pappberger, the Panther KF51 is “the most modern battle tank in the world.” Rheinmetall first presented the device last year. According to the announcement, it is characterized by a high level of digitalization and networking. The Büffel armored recovery vehicle from Rheinmetall serves as the starting point for the chassis. In conjunction with a low overall weight, this contributes to the mobility of the Panther KF51 on the one hand, and on the other hand there are synergy effects with the Leopard 2 family in terms of logistics, maintenance and training.
Three soldiers, commander, gunner and driver, are planned to crew the Panther KF51, and there is also a fourth place in the bow. According to the announcement, both a subsystem operator and the company commander could sit there.
Just at the beginning of the week, Rheinmetall also secured a major order from Austria. The aim was to modernize the existing Skyguard air defense systems. The company announced on Tuesday that the order volume was 532 million euros. Rheinmetall’s Skyguard system is short-range air defense. The modernization commissioned by the Austrians is intended, among other things, to bring 28 existing 35-millimeter twin guns up to new standards. The appropriate ammunition is also part of the order.