German defense contractor Rheinmetall AG is in talks to supply Ukraine with its most sophisticated battle tanks and fighting vehicles to help the country defend itself against future threats, according to Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger.
(Bloomberg) — German defense contractor Rheinmetall AG is in talks to supply Ukraine with its most sophisticated battle tanks and fighting vehicles to help the country defend itself against future threats, according to Chief Executive Officer Armin Papperger.
“Ukraine is interested in the Lynx and the Panther, which are currently the most modern infantry fighting vehicle and battle tank,” Papperger was quoted as saying Thursday by Germany’s Handelsblatt newspaper.
The Dusseldorf-based company has already held talks with the government in Kyiv, he told the paper, adding that Rheinmetall could produce the vehicles from scratch, meaning no country would have to provide tanks from their own inventories.
It’s also ready to install a facility in Ukraine for assembling the Panther once the war ends, as long as the German government approves the necessary export licenses, Papperger said.
The Panther in particular would represent a significant upgrade in heavy armor for Ukrainian forces. Rheinmetall says the tank, which is still under development and is eventually meant to replace the Leopard 2 main battle tank, is “destined to be a game changer on the battlefields of the future.”
“Ukraine has to stand its ground in this war — and once it’s over, the country needs security,” Handelsblatt quoted Papperger as saying.
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