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At the Eurosatory 2022 international defense exhibition in Paris, German company Rheinmetall unveiled the new KF51 Panther main battle tank (MBT) .
As the tank of the future, the KF51 offers new standards in all areas, including armament, protection, reconnaissance, networking and mobility.
The KF51 can be easily updated and equipped with the latest capabilities and functions. Adopt open architecture, modular and advanced NGVA system.
Its main armament is the Rheinmetall 130 mm Smoothbore Future Weapon System (FGS) with an automatic munitions system for up to 20 rounds.
Compared to the current 120mm cannon system, the FGS provides over 50 percent greater effectiveness over a much longer engagement range.
The FGS can fire kinetic energy (KE) shells as well as programmable airburst munitions and compliant training shells.
The secondary weapon is a 12.7 mm coaxial machine gun.
As an option, the Rheinmetall Natter remote-controlled weapon station (RCWS) with a 7.62 mm machine gun can be installed.
It is also possible to integrate the launcher for the HERO 120 roaming ammunition from UVision into the turret . This increases the KF51's ability to strike targets beyond its direct line of sight.
All weapon systems are connected to commander and gunner optics and fire control computers via a fully digital NGVA architecture.
In the future it will also be supported by artificial intelligence (AI).
The KF51 features a fully integrated, comprehensive and weight-optimized protection concept, combining active, reactive and passive protection technologies.
The most interesting feature is its active protection against KE threats. This increases the level of protection without reducing the weight of the system.
To ward off threats from above, the KF51 is fitted with Rheinmetall's own Top Strike Protection System (TAPS).
Meanwhile, the fast-acting ROSY smoke/barrier system hides the KF51 from enemy observation.
In addition, its digital NGVA architecture allows the integration of additional sensors to detect launch marks. Thanks to its pre-fire detection capabilities, the KF51 can recognize and neutralize threats at an early stage.
Thanks to the panoramic SEOSS optical sensor and the EMES main battle target device, the commander and gunner can both observe and attack targets independently of each other, day and night, and IR optics with integrated laser rangefinder are available for both.
In addition, through the display in the battle compartment, the crew has a round-the-clock 360° view of the vehicle's surroundings.
The integrated unmanned aerial reconnaissance system increases crew situational awareness in the combat area and around the vehicle. Crews can also carry out reconnaissance under armor protection and share the results with other comrade teams on a network.
To operate this 59 tonne tank, three crew members are required, namely the driver, commander and weapon operator.
Crewed by three, but with space for a fourth, it also boasts a drone-launching pod as well as launchers for loitering munitions, a type of hovering rocket that can be programmed to wait in the air before swooping down, warhead first, on its target.
To increase survivability, Rheinmetall built into the Panther its suite of passive, active and top-attack protection systems. Its smaller footprint means the vehicle can pass through tight tunnels while loaded on rail cars, a feat that requires advance preparation for larger tank types, according to the company.
Rheinmetall’s Panther push comes as the German-French defense partnership, entrusted with producing next-generation European weaponry for air and land warfare, is treading water.
For Germany, progress on the Future Combat Air System is inextricably linked to progress on the Main Ground Battle Tank, a futuristic battle tank developed by the partnership of Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and France’s Nexter, with Rheinmetall as something of a junior partner.
But the FCAS program is awaiting government intervention to unstick differences on workshare and intellectual property handling between its national industry leaders, Dassault and Airbus Defense.
Should that program fail, experts expect a domino effect that would likely sink the common tank program, which is languishing in the study phase, its concepts still PowerPoint-deep at best.
The FCAS program features a similar approach, called “system of systems” in military parlance, with Dassault claiming ownership of the manned fighter jet at the core.
In addition, company officials said, the Panther could be an attractive option for Leopard-using armies not involved, or interested, in MGCS.
According to Papperger, serial production could begin in two and a half years. [DABzuWLVPu4] |