I’m making this post in the hope that the Kf51 Panther will be added to the German tech tree with a battle rating of 13.3.
General characteristics: Crew 3–4 (commander, driver and gunner, optional weapons or systems specialist); Length 7.8 m (10 m with gun); Width 3.7 m; Height 2.5 m; Mass 59 t; Unit price approx. 15 million euros (exact cost unknown) Armament Main armament 130 mm L/52 smoothbore gun Secondary armament 12.7 mm coaxial machine gun 7.62 mm NATTER-RCWS (2500 rounds) Optional: HERO 120 loitering ammunition Protection systems Armor Active, reactive and passive armor Standoff active systems Yes Mobility Propulsion V12 diesel engine MTU MB 873 Ka-501 47,600 cm³ 1103 kW (1500 hp) at 2600 rpm Suspension Torsion bar suspension Speed 72 km/h Power/weight 19 kW/t Range approx. 500 km
The KF51 Panther, when it was unveiled in 2022, was intended to compete with the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), a Franco-German collaboration for the development of a Leopard 2 successor that had been underway since 2012. Rheinmetall decided to develop its own combat vehicle after the company felt it could not exert sufficient influence on the MGCS project. The KF51 Panther is also seen as a response to Russia’s new generation of T-14 Armata main battle tanks. According to Rheinmetall, it is the first representative of a new family of combat vehicles.
The KF51 Panther prototype is based on the Leopard 2 hull, from which it also adopted the drivetrain, transmission, and running gear. However, at 59 tons, it weighs less than modern Leopard 2 models and has a comparable range of approximately 500 kilometers. . … Crew and Operation It is designed for a crew of three (commander, driver, and gunner); a fourth seat can be occupied by a weapons or systems specialist. The turret and weapons can also be controlled from the positions in the hull, which, according to Rheinmetall, will “perspectively allow for variants of the KF51 with unmanned turrets or completely remotely controlled vehicles.” The KF51 is fully digitalized and is designed to be “easily updatable.” Armament The KF51 is equipped with the Rheinmetall Future Gun System, a 130 mm L/52 smoothbore gun based on the Rheinmetall 130 mm L/51 smoothbore gun. The ammunition supply consists of 20 rounds in the autoloader and an additional 10 rounds in the tank. According to Rheinmetall, this cannon offers sufficient firepower against “all current and foreseeable mechanized targets.” It has approximately 50 percent more firepower than the 120 mm smoothbore gun of the Leopard 2 and a significantly greater range. The KF51’s main armament is supplemented by a 12.7 × 99 mm coaxial machine gun. The rear of the turret also houses the automatic remote weapon station “Natter” (7.62 × 51 mm caliber) with an all-weather sensor system. Furthermore, a launcher for Hero 120 drones can be integrated into the KF51’s turret. Armor and Protection Systems The KF51 is protected by passive, reactive, and active armor. The latter provides protection against both kinetic energy penetrators and anti-tank guided missiles. The Top Attack Protection System (TAPS) serves to defend against attacks from above. It is also equipped with the “Rosy_L” Rapid Obscuring System and a prone-to-attack protection system called “StrikeShield.” KF51-U (Unmanned Turret) After the presentation, analysts criticized the fact that the KF51 still has a manned turret. In June 2024, at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris, Rheinmetall presented the KF51-U, a Panther with an unmanned turret. The three operators required for this tank are located in the hull, just in front of the turret. An autoloader feeds ammunition to the main gun from two magazines in the rear of the turret. The KF51-U has a magazine capacity of 25 rounds. The unmanned turret can be accessed from above via a maintenance hatch. The KF51-U has a coaxial heavy machine gun (caliber 12.7 mm) as secondary armament and the Rheinmetall RMG 7.62 for drone defense (instead of the “Natter”).