German weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall and Italian defence contractor Leonardo are jointly launching a new company to build battle tanks, initially for the Italian military, the firms announced on Tuesday. Each partner will hold 50% ownership in the new Rome-based company, which the firms expect to receive regulatory approval by 2025. An initial major order from the Italian military is worth more than €20 billion ($2.2 billion), according to the firms. The new tank manufacturer’s headquarters will be in Rome, and the operational centre will be in the northern Italian port city of La Spezia, w…