The new Panther tank is said to have an intelligent defence system that can thwart missiles fired at the thin roof armour - a critical vulnerability in both Russian and Western-made tanks. Moscow has suffered staggering losses of equipment during the conflict, due in part to Ukraine's use of modern weaponry such as the US-made Javelin and Swedish-designed NLAW anti-tank missiles. A drone launcher in the tank can also launch Hero 120 loitering munitions with 4-kilogram warheads that can strike nearby targets. In addition, the tank can operate four quadcopter drones to assist with local reconnaissance. Manufacturers point to the tank's newest features, including an outward-facing digital camera which gives the crew 360-degree visibility without exposing themselves to enemy fire. Earlier this week, defence experts said Nato needed a “massive hike in defence spending”.
The official launch of the design is timely as European militaries look to boost their capabilities following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The tank's manufacturer says the design will be a "game-changer" on the modern battlefield. A second 7.62mm machinegun can be remotely operated from inside. The KF-51 also includes a 12.7mm coaxial machinegun which complements the main weapon and can deal with threats from drones and lighter-armoured targets. Rheinmetall claims the gun has a “50 per cent longer kill range” than the older 120mm gun, which it replaces. The tank uses a rapid-fire 130mm smoothbore gun as its main armament. With an operational weight of just 59 tonnes, the lightweight tank is highly mobile and has a maximum operating range of about 500 kilometres. The design is a major upgrade on Germany's older Leopard 2 tank - itself modelled on the US-Army's M1 Abrams - which first came into service with the German army in the early 1980s.
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