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2024-01-01

Hungary,Rheinmetall Advance with Panther MBT Project

In a significant move for its military modernisation, the Hungarian government is partnering with German defence giant Rheinmetall to develop the Panther KF51 main battle tank. The €288 million contract, signed in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, will focus on constructing and qualifying a demonstrator vehicle, paving the way for full-scale production. The project involves close collaboration with N7, a state-owned Hungarian holding company holding a 49 per cent stake in the joint venture Rheinmetall Hungary.

Moving forward together as partners, Hungary and Rheinmetall will jointly develop and prepare for full production the next-generation tank whose concept Rheinmetall first presented to the world public at Eurosatory 2022 trade fair.

Unlike the system demonstrator on show at Eurosatory, the Panther KF51 EVO will be armed with Rheinmetall’s tried-and-tested L55A1 120mm smoothbore gun, which also features in the latest variants of the Leopard 2.

This will ensure logistical homogeneity with Hungary’s existing fleet of Leopard 2 tanks. Nevertheless, the Panther KF51 EVO will already be equipped with an autoloader. The turret architecture will enable subsequent retrofitting of Rheinmetall’s new 130mm gun.

“We’re delighted to have reached another milestone on the path to producing next-generation fighting vehicles in Hungary”, declared Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall. “The Panther KF51 is the world’s most advanced main battle tank. It sets a new standard for the combat effectiveness of mechanised formations, while delivering a high degree of future adaptability. We’ll be empowering our local Joint Venture Rheinmetall Hungary and further strengthen the national defence industrial capabilities of our partners.”

Revolutionising MBT Design

The Panther breaks the mold as a groundbreaking Main Battle Tank (MBT) concept, unshackled from outdated technology.

Engineered with powerful advancements, it prioritises battlefield lethality, coupled with an integrated survivability framework. Its digitised Next-Generation Vehicle Architecture (NGVA) data backbone enables next-gen operational capabilities.

The Panther fulfils the core capability of “dominate and destroy.” With the Rheinmetall Future Gun System consisting of a 130 mm cannon, a fully automated ammunition handling system and the supplementary armament options of the HERO 120 loitering ammunition, it has concentrated firepower for long-range strikes in multi-target engagements.

The might of an MBT gun has seldom been more striking. Rheinmetall’s Future Gun System boasts an impressive 50 per cent longer kill range than the standard 120mm, coupled with unmatched firing speed thanks to its advanced autoloader.

Alongside the main gun, a 12.7mm co-axial machine gun adds versatility. With multiple Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS) integration choices, it gains flexibility in defending against drones and nearby threats. The optional HERO 120 loitering ammunition expands the Panther’s strike capability beyond direct line-of-sight targets, adaptable to various roles and mission needs.

Detection Capability

The Panther is configured with a pre-shot detection capability, enabling it to strike first. Threats from above are defeated by the Rheinmetall TAPS (Top Attack Protection System).

The ROSY smoke obscurance system is provided as part of the survivability system, which integrates with the digitised architecture to allow additional defence measures. The standout survivability feature is the active kinetic energy (KE) protection, which upsurges protection levels without affecting the system weight.

All weapons are connected with targeting sights and the fire control computer through the fully digitised architecture, allowing for hunter-killer and killer-killer operation, smooth target engagements and future Artificial Intelligence decision support.

As a system designed to operate in a contested electromagnetic spectrum, the Panther is fully cyber hardened.

The Panther KF51’s core crew comprises three soldiers: the commander, gunner, and driver. An additional station, located at the front left side of the bow, accommodates a subsystem operator or serves as a mobile command post for higher-ranking officers like company or battalion commanders.

Info Sharing

The tank epitomises a software-defined platform, adept at gathering and sharing information across multi-domain battlefields.

Its integration of modern BMS (Battle Management Systems) and software-defined communication systems fosters seamless operation in collaborative combat scenarios, facilitating cross-platform sensor-to-shooter links for battlefield coordination.

The Panther is designed to control assigned unmanned aerial vehicles such as on-board or off-board drones, loitering ammunition and uncrewed ground vehicles.

The digitised system and common crew stations are the enablers for true Human-Machine Teaming and control of wingman Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) that cover competencies such as platoon-level air and drone defence.

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