According to reports in the Italian media, the contract is expected to be signed soon, possibly within this year. The exact number of tanks to be purchased for the Italian Army is unclear. Some sources indicate that Rome is interested in a contract for 125 Leopard 2A8 tanks, but ultimately, this number could be twice as large.
Previously, in the context of acquiring 250 Leopard 2A8 tanks, it was estimated that the tank procurement contract could cost up to 6 billion euros. Initially, the Italian Ministry of Defence intended to allocate 4 billion euros to the Leopard 2 tank acquisition program until 2037.
It is known that the Italian government expects significant compensation from Berlin in exchange for signing the agreement. As sources from Rome indicate, the Italian government would like Germany to purchase AW249 combat helicopters from Leonardo, an Italian defence company.
