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Leopard 2
German Leopard 2A5 Tanks in 2010
Type
Main battle tank
Place of origin
West Germany
Service history
In service
1979–present[1]
Used by
See Operators
Wars
War in Afghanistan Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer
KraussMaffei
Designed
1970s
Manufacturer
KraussMaffei
Maschinenbau Kiel
Rheinmetall[2]
Santa Bárbara Sistemas
Hägglunds AB
Contraves
Hellenic Vehicle Industry
Unit cost
2A6 (secondhand): €5.74 million (FY 2007)[3] 2A7+: €13–15 million (FY 2014)[4] 2A8: €29 million (2023)[5]
Produced
1979–present
No. built
3,600[6]
Variants
See Variants
Specifications
Mass
2A6: 62.3 tonnes (68.7 short tons) 2A7V: 66.5 tonnes (73.3 short tons)
Length
2A6: 9.97 metres (32.7 feet) (gun forward)
Width
2A6: 3.75 m (12.3 ft)
Height
2A6: 3 m (9.8 ft)
Crew
4
Armor
2A6: 3rd generation composite; including high-hardness steel, tungsten and plastic filler with ceramic component.
Main armament
1 × Rh-120 L/44 120 mm or Rh-120 L/55 120 mm Rheinmetall Rh-120[1] (42 rounds)
Secondary armament
2 × 7.62 mm MG3A1[1] or 2 × 7.62 mm FN MAG (4,750 rounds)
Engine
MTU MB 873 Ka-501 liquid-cooled V12 twin-turbo diesel engine 1100 kW at 2600 rpm
1,200 litres (264 imperial gallons; 317 US gallons)[7]
Operational range
Road: 340 km (210 mi)
Cross country: 220 km (140 mi)
Average: 280 km (170 mi)[8]
Maximum speed
70 km/h (43 mph)[9][10]
The Leopard 2 is a third generation German main battle tank (MBT). Developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s, the tank entered service in 1979 and replaced the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the West German army. Various iterations of the Leopard 2 continue to be operated by the armed forces of Germany, as well as 13 other European countries, and several non-European countries, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia, and Singapore. Some operating countries have licensed the Leopard 2 design for local production and domestic development.
There are two main development tranches of the Leopard 2. The first encompasses tanks produced up to the Leopard 2A4 standard and are characterised by their vertically faced turret armour. The second tranche, from Leopard 2A5 onwards, has an angled, arrow-shaped, turret appliqué armour, together with other improvements. The main armament of all Leopard 2 tanks is a smoothbore 120 mm cannon made by Rheinmetall. This is operated with a digital fire control system, laser rangefinder, and advanced night vision and sighting equipment. The tank is powered by a V12 twin-turbo diesel engine made by MTU Friedrichshafen.
In the 1990s, the Leopard 2 was used by the German Army on peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. In the 2000s, Dutch, Danish and Canadian forces deployed their Leopard 2 tanks in the War in Afghanistan as part of their contribution to the International Security Assistance Force. In the 2010s, Turkish Leopard 2 tanks saw action in Syria. In 2023–24, Ukrainian Leopard 2 tanks are seeing action in the Russo-Ukrainian war.[11]
^ abcCite error: The named reference TGelbart was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^Majumdar, Dave (18 February 2016). "Get Ready, Russia: This European Power Has Plans For a Lethal New Tank". The National Interest.
^"Canada Acquires 120 Leopard 2 Tanks from German, Dutch Surplus". Defense update. 16 April 2007. Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
^"Hungarian Leopard MBTS Unveiled. What was the cost? [ANALYSIS]". 7 July 2020.
^"Germany to order 18 Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks". 24 May 2023.
^"Deutsche Panzer für Katar". Tagesspiegel Online (in German). 19 June 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
^Foss, Christopher F. (2002), Jane's Tanks and Combat Vehicles Recognition Guide, New York: HarperCollins, p. 32
^"Weapon systems and heavy equipment in the Bundeswehr" (PDF). Retrieved 9 June 2022.
^"Die Leistungsmerkmale des LEOPARD 2 A6M". Retrieved 30 June 2021.
^"LEOPARD 2 A6 – KMW". kmweg.com. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
^"The Russians Just Destroyed Their First Ukrainian Leopard 2 Tank". Forbes. 9 June 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
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