Picard
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New KF51 Panther tank is a (potential) replacement for German Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger presented a tank that is considered to become the successor to the Leopard 2 tank at the arms show in France. It is the first main battle cat entirely developed by Rheinmetall.
Firepower
Panther will utilize 130 mm Future Gun System and sensor-to-shooter links. Main gun will have fully automated ammunition handling system (a.k.a. Autoloader). Future Gun System will have 50% greater kill range than current 120 mm gun.
New 130 mm gun aims at delivering on the target energy of 18 – 20 MJ, which is the level that was in the past obtained with the 140 mm FTMA (Future Tank Main Armament) developed by RGR Armament GmbH, a joint venture formed by then GIAT Industries of France, now Nexter, Royal Ordnance of the UK, now part of BAE Systems, and Rheinmetall Weapons & Munitions of Germany. For comparison, the latest development of subcalibre 120 mm APFSDS (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot) rounds under development by Rheinmetall deliver a 12-13 MJ on the target.
