After 80 years, the the Panther is back.

[Jaws2002]

 

 

Rheinmetall just announced, at Eurosatory2022,  a new main battle tank.

 For the new  KF51   they brought back the legendary Panther name.

 This is an all new vehicle, built from the ground up, it's not a new version of Leopard. It's armed with a new 130mm tank gun, in a completely new remote turret. All the crew is in the hull, for better protection. The tank is equipped with an autoloader, to reduce the weight of the tank and allow it to be operated by just three crew members, with the option to have an extra one. 

   Coming in at 60 tons, it's lighter, more powerful and offering better protection for the crew, compared to the latest Leopard versions and latest US tanks.

 The final specs may change, but it looks pretty cool.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not as sexy as the original, with this huge turret on that small hull, but hey, hope it works ok for them.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Jaws2002

[DD_Arthur]

From the footage I’ve been seeing on my tv lately; haven’t these things just become obsolete?

[Jaws2002]

11 minutes ago, DD_Arthur said:

From the footage I’ve been seeing on my tv lately; haven’t these things just become obsolete?

I wouldn't say obsolete. I think the world woke up to reality from all the BS myths about invincible tanks, created by the last few wars, where tanks of first world armies, fought bare foot goat herders, armed with rusted AK47's. 

 Tanks are useful on the battlefield, as long as people understand their limitations and the realities of the modern battlefield.

[Gambit21]

I wonder if they could have come up with a fuglier paint scheme for it.

[DBFlyguy]

1 hour ago, DD_Arthur said:

From the footage I’ve been seeing on my tv lately; haven’t these things just become obsolete?

That has more to do with "user error" than tanks themselves being obsolete.  Not every nation has a robost anti-tank capability either, but that's probably as far as we should go on that topic I think.

[JG27*PapaFly]

5 hours ago, DD_Arthur said:

From the footage I’ve been seeing on my tv lately; haven’t these things just become obsolete?

It's yet again time to rethink their role and adapt the design to the new "game".

[Trooper117]

With AT missiles that have a 'top down' attack mode, there is no tank anywhere that can have added armour to that area that can protect it.

Add to that 'tandem warheads' that can defeat reactive armour, I'd say that tanks are on the way out...

[easterling77]

They call it Panther!!!

A big Legacy in terms of armored warfare.

Let's hope we wont have to see a real battle test of this beast.

Totally agree with DBFlyguy about the way of the topic.

[sevenless]

On 6/14/2022 at 10:35 PM, easterling77 said:

They call it Panther!!!

A big Legacy in terms of armored warfare.

Let's hope we wont have to see a real battle test of this beast.

Totally agree with DBFlyguy about the way of the topic.

 

It is a pimped Leo2 with 130mm gun and a new name. I am more excited what (if) the alleged collaboration of FR and GE is developing as the Leo2-A7V successor.

[easterling77]

With developing a complete remote turret placing the crew in the hull and autoloader system  - it's barely near a modernised Leopard.

But I'm no engineer.

And yes to your "if". 

The collaboration vehicle is in early status and it's kind of staying there for long time I guess  (mention the decades the needed to make the Tiger Helicopter).

The Panther has an operational prototype by now.

Edited June 19, 2022 by easterling77

[Yogiflight]

11 minutes ago, easterling77 said:

placing the crew in the hull

Not yet, but possible in the future. The Panther has two positions in the hull, for the driver and an additional crew member (could be the seat for the company commander or a drone pilot) and two positions in the turret for tank commander and gunner. But everything can be done from each position. So in case of emmergency the commander can drive the tank out of a danger zone or he can shoot, or the fourth crew member could shoot the main gun.

But it is planned to have tanks without crew in the turret in the future.

These informations are from the website of Rheinmetall.

[easterling77]

5 hours ago, Yogiflight said:

Not yet, but possible in the future. The Panther has two positions in the hull, for the driver and an additional crew member (could be the seat for the company commander or a drone pilot) and two positions in the turret for tank commander and gunner. But everything can be done from each position. So in case of emmergency the commander can drive the tank out of a danger zone or he can shoot, or the fourth crew member could shoot the main gun.

But it is planned to have tanks without crew in the turret in the future.

These informations are from the website of Rheinmetall.

thanks for correcting my wrong assumption?

[=gRiJ=Roman-]

I would have chosen a different cat name for it ... maybe the missing Löwe for instance but it a beautiful looking feline anyway

Panzer VII Löwe - Wikipedia

 

 

Edited June 19, 2022 by =gRiJ=Roman-

[Yogiflight]

1 hour ago, easterling77 said:

thanks for correcting my wrong assumption?

Maybe you mixed it with the tank Germany and France are developing together. That one will have all three crew members in the hull. But it is planned to enter service in 2040 or so.