Italy’s land forces have formally entered a new phase of mechanisation with the delivery of the first four Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicles, marking the official launch of the Army Armoured Combat Systems (A2CS) programme. The handover took place on 27 January at the Italian Army’s Multifunctional Experimentation Centre (Ce.Poli.Spe) in Montelibretti and was carried out by Leonardo Rheinmetall Military Vehicles (LRMV), the joint venture established by Italy’s Leonardo and Germany’s Rheinmetall.
The ceremony was attended by Italian Minister of Defence Guido Crosetto, Chief of Staff of the Italian Army General Carmine Masiello, Leonardo Chief Executive Officer Roberto Cingolani, Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Division Europe head Björn Bernhard, as well as LRMV CEO Laurent Sissmann and Executive Chairman David Hoeder. The delivery represents the first tangible outcome of an initial contract signed at the end of 2025 covering 21 A2CS “Combat” vehicles.
Speaking at the event, Crosetto framed the programme within a deteriorating international security environment, stressing the need for a modern, flexible and credible defence posture. He highlighted the Lynx as a product of Italian–German industrial cooperation and underlined the central role of Ce.Poli.Spe in testing and evaluating new platforms before they enter operational service.
General Masiello described the delivery as the concrete starting point of the Army’s renewed mechanisation path, arguing that decades of expeditionary operations had demonstrated the professionalism of Italian soldiers, but that future challenges would require a step change in technology. According to the Chief of Staff, the Lynx will fundamentally alter how the Italian Army conducts combat operations.
From an industrial perspective, Cingolani emphasised that the programme strengthens both national defence capabilities and the broader European industrial base. He portrayed the Leonardo–Rheinmetall partnership as a cornerstone for strategic autonomy, linking the A2CS effort to wider European ambitions in armoured land systems. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger echoed this view, presenting the Italian delivery as a new chapter for the Lynx family and a model for deeper European armaments cooperation.
The four vehicles delivered are equipped with Rheinmetall’s Lance 30mm turret. Subsequent vehicles under the current contract will be fitted with Leonardo’s Hitfist 30mm turret, which is set to become the standard configuration for the remaining 16 platforms. Designed as a modular system, Lynx can be adapted for multiple roles, including infantry fighting, troop transport, command post and medical evacuation.
Together with Italy’s future main battle tank programme, A2CS — originally known as the Armoured Infantry Combat System (AICS) — is intended to renew the Army’s heavy vehicle fleet with highly digitalised, network-enabled platforms capable of operating in complex multidomain environments. Beyond national requirements, the programme is also positioned as a potential reference for allied and partner countries seeking to modernise their own armoured formations.
Author: Özgür Ekşi
