Italian Chief of Defense Staff Gen. Luciano Portolano has called on Leonardo and Rheinmetall to speed up a €23 billion ($24 billion) order for tanks and fighting vehicles to boost military readiness. The Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles joint venture plans to deliver 1,050 Lynx fighting vehicles and 272 Panther tanks. Production is expected to peak in 2031 at 171 units per year, with additional plans for export. The order is part of Italy’s broader effort to modernize its armed forces amid evolving security challenges.
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