Antsy about its aging tanks, Italy is mulling a rush purchase

ROME — Italy is considering the quick procurement of 125 tanks as well as infantry fighting vehicles to serve as gap fillers before long-term projects take shape, Italian defense officials and sources have said.

As the Ukraine conflict gives new importance to ground warfare capabilities, concerns are growing in Italy about its aging and depleted stock of Ariete tanks and Dardo fighting vehicles.

Addressing an Italian parliamentary defense committee on Thursday, Italian National Armaments Director Gen. Luciano Portolano said gap fillers were being mulled for new tanks and fighting vehicles.

“The defense ministry is evaluating all options, with a main focus on rapidly filling gaps,” he said.

An Italian defense source told Defense News that planners envisage a current need for 250 main battle tanks, of which 125 could be upgraded Ariete tanks, leaving a need for 125 gap fillers.

Giorgio Mulè, a former junior defense minister and a member of parliament with the Italian government coalition party Forza Italia, said leasing, rather than purchasing, gap filler tanks was the practical solution.

“Italy will need a gap filler which is already in use in NATO and Europe, which is reliable and comes with logistics provided, which likely means leasing from another state,” he told Defense News.

Such a move could entail a lease of Leopard tanks from allied nations.

“We need urgent modernization – the last time we introduced new tanks and fighting vehicles was in the 1980s with the Ariete and Dardo vehicles,” said Mulè.

At the same time, as gap fillers are chosen, Partolano told parliament the defense ministry was working on requirements for “next generation” tanks and fighting vehicles that could be developed with Italian industrial input.

In the case of the tank requirement, he cited the embryonic European Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), which was launched in 2012 by France and Germany and set to be developed by Germany’s Rheinmetall and KNDS, a joint venture between Germany’s KMW and France’s Nexter.

Meanwhile, Rheinmetall has said that if Italy buys its new Lynx fighting vehicle to replace aging Dardos, it could build the vehicle in Italy.

Editor’s note: This story was updated on March 13 to clarify Gen. Portolano’s title as national armaments director.

More In Europe

New US Space Force jammers aim to disrupt China’s SATCOM signals

The Remote Modular Terminals, which disrupt adversary satellites by "yelling in their ear," as one official put it, are cleared for initial fielding,

Space Force must grow to counter China and Russia, lawmaker says

House Armed Services Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said the service is not sized to meet increasing threats from China and Russia.

SpaceX launches rapid response GPS mission

The effort, dubbed Rapid Response Trailblazer, was meant to demonstrate the ability to quickly plan and launch a mission in around six months.

Space Command strategy aims to boost commercial role in operations

The updated strategy, approved in November, focuses on SPACECOM’s core tasks and how commercial space capabilities fit within those areas.

ULA eyes annual mods to turn rocket stage into space interceptor

The fast-moving vehicle would be highly maneuverable and could be used to tow satellites or for counterspace missions, ULA CEO Tory Bruno told reporters.