10mm difference, Rheinmetall's Panther

[bigwheelzip]

Eurosatory 2022, the military trade show in Europe, has had some interesting reveals. This new Panther Main Battle Tank is getting quite a buzz.

Upping the ante, is the new 130mm main gun. The photo compares it to the existing 120mm ammo in most NATO MBT's.
Fifty percent increase in range and energy.

Rheinmetall releases Panther KF51 Main Battle Tank - YouTube


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[yaktamer]

Eurosatory 2022, the military trade show in Europe, has had some interesting reveals. This new Panther Main Battle Tank is getting quite a buzz.

Upping the ante, is the new 130mm main gun. The photo compares it to the existing 120mm ammo in most NATO MBT's.
Fifty percent increase in range and energy.

Rheinmetall releases Panther KF51 Main Battle Tank - YouTube


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Waiting for the Ackley Improved version.

 

[lihpster]

Ummmm.... It's not the size, it's how you use it?

 

[Rustyt1953]

This new Panther Main Battle Tank is getting quite a buzz.

One lucky tank.

 

[bigwheelzip]

Ummmm.... It's not the size, it's how you use it?

I don't know. There is another MBT prototype from a French & German team, with a potential for an Ascalon 140mm main gun. So maybe size does matter.

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[lihpster]

I don't know. There is another MBT prototype from a French & German team, with a potential for an Ascalon 140mm main gun. So maybe size does matter.

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I was joking. Size definitely matters. With a bigger gun, the enemy needs thicker armor, slowing them down and making them less maneuverable.
Still, ATGMs are going to change tank warfare more than a bigger gun in my opinion.

 

[bigwheelzip]

One lucky tank.

LOL. You thinkin a bong when you see that big tank round??

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[Greyman50]

Unless I'm mistaken the composition of the barrel liner on the WWII German 88s has not been figured out. Germans know how to make guns and tanks.

 

[Absalom]

Interesting. It's the chassis of the Leopard II with an entirely new turret and gun.

I'm sure the first months of the Ukraine war sent the marketing team scrambling.

On the one hand, every potential customers is suddenly willing to spend more money on weapons. On the other hand, how do you convince largely defensive-, not offensive-minded officials, politicians, and generals that they should not just forget about new tanks and buy Javelins?

They'll need a convincing sales pitch, beyond what wonderful things the tank could do if it hadn't just been knocked out by some ragged volunteers with a disposable missile launcher …

On a cultural side note, with the Panther Rheinmetall seems to feel it's safe to start recycling Nazi vehicle names. The Germans were running out of suitably war-like creatures, after having post-Nazi combat vehicles named after leopard, marten, puma, weasel, lynx, beaver, badger, cheetah, buffalo, ….

 

[swsig]

I don't know. There is another MBT prototype from a French & German team, with a potential for an Ascalon 140mm main gun. So maybe size does matter.

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Impressive. Tank guns are approaching light cruiser caliber.

 

[quikdraw67]

Interesting. It's the chassis of the Leopard II with an entirely new turret and gun.

I'm sure the first months of the Ukraine war sent the marketing team scrambling.

On the one hand, every potential customers is suddenly willing to spend more money on weapons. On the other hand, how do you convince largely defensive-, not offensive-minded officials, politicians, and generals that they should not just forget about new tanks and buy Javelins?

They'll need a convincing sales pitch, beyond what wonderful things the tank could do if it hadn't just been knocked out by some ragged volunteers with a disposable missile launcher …

On a cultural side note, with the Panther Rheinmetall seems to feel it's safe to start recycling Nazi vehicle names. The Germans were running out of suitably war-like creatures, after having post-Nazi combat vehicles named after leopard, marten, puma, weasel, lynx, beaver, badger, cheetah, buffalo, ….

I don't think they'll be announcing the Guderian model any time soon.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I don't think they'll be announcing the Guderian model any time soon.

BUT>>>>>>>>>>>Does it have a hi-capacity magazine??????????

 

[bigwheelzip]

Interesting. It's the chassis of the Leopard II with an entirely new turret and gun.

I'm sure the first months of the Ukraine war sent the marketing team scrambling.

I got the impression that the power pack is the only part that is carried over from the Leopard II, otherwise it seems to be a clean-sheet design.

There is a long delayed joint effort to create the next MBT for France and Germany, which left Rheinmetall almost sidelined as only a minor 2nd-tier supplier. This prompted an in-house effort to compete against that joint venture. They have been working at this design for years.

I don't recall most of the innovations they've listed, but I do recall that it is between 5 and 10 tons lighter than the current MBTs, and is designed to run with 3 crew, one less than current.

They also incorporated an active protection system, designed to defeat top-attack missiles like Javelin. Might be related to this system being demonstrated.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iKeuVHKc92U[/ame]

 

[Greyman50]

I don't think they'll be announcing the Guderian model any time soon.

Hah, good ole Hans…..

 

[Greyman50]

Original WWII Panther had sorry power plant, reason for their problems.
Wonder if this Panther has same armor as our Abrahams??
The new anti armor weapons will really change armor tactics ,really restrict their use, be very interesting to see what " top side armor" is developed…

 

[Absalom]

I got the impression that the power pack is the only part that is carried over from the Leopard II, otherwise it seems to be a clean-sheet design.
...
I don't recall most of the innovations they've listed, but I do recall that it is between 5 and 10 tons lighter than the current MBTs, and is designed to run with 3 crew, one less than current.

You are right. After looking at some more German material, I stand corrected, and actually should have realized this. The Leopard is built by Rheinmetall's main competitor, Krauss-Maffei (KMW). The hull looks similar to the Leopard II mostly for practical reasons. However, the power plant will indeed be provided by the same company, MTU, that builds the Leopard's, although whether it's the same or an upgrade has not been disclosed.

The tank can be operated by a crew of 3 (commander/driver/gunner), as the autoloader has eliminated the human loader. However, the tank is apparently configured to carry a fourth specialist operator instead for some of the advanced systems; it can be equipped with the Hero loitering ammunition system, basically killer drones launched and controlled from the tank.

PS: Here's the link to the horse's mouth. You can even download the 20-page sales brochure (although you still won't find a word about the engine; for some reason they're not going public with that info ):

Rheinmetall – Panther KF51 main battle tank