The joint project between Leonardo and Rheinmetall on military ground vehicles is nearing completion. The announcement, Radiocor reports, is expected to be made early next week. The 50-50 joint venture between the Italian group (50%) and the German group (Rheinmetall Italia should own 10%, parent Düsseldorf 40%), will be based in Italy.
Collaboration platform
The first goal of the alliance is industrial cooperation for programs to supply the Italian army with new heavy tanks, based on the German group’s Panther model, and tracked infantry fighting vehicle, also based on Lynx from Rheinmetall: the total value of the two programs is more than 20 billion euros in ten years. But the two partners’ stated intention is also to focus on exports, and in recent months Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger has underscored the interest already collected from some potential customers.
The strategic agreement – the subject of a memorandum signed in July by Leonardo’s CEO, Roberto Cingolani, and Paperburger himself – also aims to lay the foundations for the co-development of a future European “Major Ground Combat System”.
From a governance point of view, the joint venture – as indicated in recent days by Leonardo’s co-managing director, Lorenzo Mariani – will be led by a managing director, whom the Italian partner will refer to, while Rheinmetall will refer to the president.
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