Leonardo and KNDS, together with the Italian Ministry of Defence, have signed a strategic alliance to define and further develop a closer collaboration. The objective of the agreement, in fact, is the creation of a European Defense Group and the strengthening of collaboration in the field of terrestrial electronics.
The strategic alliance will allow the implementation of collaborative programs between European nations through the strengthening of their industrial bases and the development of the future generation of armored vehicle platforms, including the MGCS (Main Ground Combat System).
The agreement is in line both with the strategy defined by the Italian Ministry of Defense in the Defense Programmatic Document 2023-2025, and with the Action Plan of the Agreement recently signed by the Governments of Italy and Germany.
Furthermore, Leonardo and KNDS have signed an agreement for the joint implementation of the procurement program for the Main Battle Tank (MBT) based on the LEOPARD 2 A8. The companies will collaborate in the development, construction and maintenance of the LEOPARD 2 A8 for the Italian Army, as well as support platforms.
The joint objective is to further increase production and development capabilities in Italy and to use them for future European and export projects.
The Italian Ministry of Defense is currently working on two important programs for the renewal of its Land Forces: the procurement of LEOPARD MBTs and support vehicles, as well as new Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFVs) known as AICS and of combat support systems.
