The signing ceremony, held at the Rheinmetall plant in Zalaegerszeg, which opened in August, was attended by Prof. László Palkovics, PhD, CEO of N7 Holding Ltd, Paul Walf, CEO of Rheinmetall Hungary Ltd, and Björn Bernhard, PhD, CEO of Rheinmetall Landsysteme.
Paul Walf highlighted the significance of this development: “KF51 Panther is the most well-developed main battle tank in the world, and with this development cooperation, we open the way for preparation for mass production.”
He expressed pride in Hungary’s growing role in the defence industry, noting the enhancement of Lynx KF41 infantry fighting vehicle production earlier this year and the major part Hungary will play in the development of the next generation main battle tank.
The collaboration signifies a boost in development and engineering capacity for Rheinmetall Hungary Ltd, with plans to expand their team shortly. The KF51 Panther is set to redefine standards in digitalization, network connectivity, and mobility, offering significant growth potential. Its innovative tower architecture, for instance, facilitates the transition from a 120 mm to a 130 mm howitzer system.
Following the agreement, the parties signed a symbolic plaque featuring the main battle tank, reiterating their commitment to this joint venture.
The KF51 Panther, developed by Rheinmetall, first made its public appearance last summer at the Eurosatory 2022 exhibition in Paris.
