Italy: Leonardo unveils new tank gun and 30 km range ammunition

Rome: Italian defense company Leonardo has introduced the new 120mm L55 tank gun featuring a 55-caliber long barrel, along with the VULCANO precision ammunition designed specifically for it.

According to RID, the extended 55-caliber barrel length delivers higher muzzle velocities and improved performance at elevated operating pressures.

Leonardo credits this leap in capability to a proprietary autofrettage process that strengthens the barrel, enabling it to handle the stresses of modern high-energy munitions.

The L55 120mm cannon, designed for Italy’s upcoming Panther-IT main battle tank, represents a major advancement in tank armament technology. The new gun is also compatible with Italy’s Ariete C2 tank and the AICS-120 combat vehicle, and has strong potential for export markets, the report noted.

In addition, the company unveiled the new 120 mm VULCANO round, boasting a maximum range of up to 30 kilometers.

This breakthrough opens up new possibilities for using tanks as makeshift self-propelled artillery, as direct fire at such distances is otherwise impossible.

A similar tactic is already being actively used in the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, so it’s not surprising that this concept is being considered in the development of next-generation weaponry.