In July the Italian Government said it was planning to buy 125 German Leopard MBT and in November Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani said the company was looking to get involved in the programme to upgrade the tanks.
Leopard MBTs are German-made main battle tanks that have been in service since the Cold War and have undergone several upgrades to remain competitive in modern warfare. This article traces the history and development of the Leopard 1 and 2, its variants, its operational service and its future prospects.