Rheinmetall and Leonardo’s Game-Changing Alliance Gets Green Light from German Federal Cartel Office
In light of the announcement made by the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartell¬amt) on 20 January 2025 to authorize the creation of a collaborative venture between Rheinmetall AG, Düsseldorf, and Leonardo S.p.A., Rome (Italy), Rheinmetall declares:
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG: “We appreciate the decision of the Federal Cartel Office and are exceedingly thankful for the backing and prompt processing. Given the current geopolitical landscape, our collaboration with Leonardo holds significant value for equipping the military with essential resources for their operations – and consequently for ensuring security across Europe. We anticipate the first substantial order from our Italian client in the forthcoming months”.
Leonardo and Rheinmetall, two prominent European leaders in defense innovation, are uniting to execute demanding projects. The finalization of the joint venture is anticipated in due course, contingent upon acquiring the final regulatory endorsements.
In October 2024, the entities finalized the contractual agreement to form the joint venture in Rome.
As a result, Rheinmetall AG and Leonardo S.p.A. will each possess an equal 50% stake in the new Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV), which will be located in Rome and feature an operations center in La Spezia.
The primary aim of the joint venture is the industrial advancement and subsequent promotion of the new Italian Main Battle Tank (MBT) alongside the innovative Lynx platform for the Armoured Infantry Combat System (AICS) initiative, which is part of the Italian Army’s land systems strategy. The creation and assembly of other vehicles from this lineup, including recovery, engineering, and bridge-laying units, are also envisioned.
The Panther KF51, designed by Rheinmetall, will serve as the foundation for the new main battle tank to succeed the Ariete in the Italian Army. The Italian AICS initiative plans to acquire over 1,000 armored combat systems, relying on Rheinmetall’s Lynx infantry fighting vehicle as the technological cornerstone.
