What makes the Leopard 2 so powerful compared to other Western tanks?

Following weeks of mounting political stress from in and out of doors the nation, Germany has agreed to ship Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, a doable turning level for the embattled nation in its gruelling, protracted struggle towards Russia.

Germany will present Kyiv with 14 Leopard 2 tanks and associated ammunition from its nationwide shares, in addition to the required coaching to function them on the battlefield. It’ll additionally permit the export of those German-made tanks by different Western international locations that want to be a part of the worldwide coalition.

“This resolution follows our well-known line of supporting Ukraine to the very best of our capability,” stated German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in a press release.

However what precisely makes the Leopard 2 tanks so necessary?

The Leopards are developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), a Munich-based defence firm, and are utilized by a number of European international locations, together with Poland, Spain, Greece, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Switzerland, in addition to others like Canada and Turkey.

Based on KMW, there are 4 fashions of Leopard 2: A4, A5, A6 and the newest addition, the A7+, which the corporate describes because the “world’s most superior most important battle tank.”

Germany’s resolution will contain the A6 model, which has a most pace of 70 km/h, a variety of 450 kilometres, a 120 mm smooth-bore cannon and seven.62 mm machine gun.

The Leopard is “fairly highly effective with regard to firepower. So, it will possibly fireplace fairly a protracted vary with several types of ammunition which you could principally form in direction of your goal, so what you need to hit, you’ll be able to select several types of ammunition for that,” Dr. Christian Mölling, head of the Centre for Safety and Defence on the German Council on Overseas Relations (DGAP), advised Euronews.

“It has a really superior armour, which can be necessary for the tank crews. If you do not have to worry that any shot that hits you signifies that you principally go up in flames, it is fairly one thing that helps you psychologically.”

“And third level is manoeuvre,” Mölling added. “It is fairly a speedy automobile. So this additionally offers you a sure tactical benefit in shifting out and in fairly quick, but additionally crossing distances in a fairly quick vary.”

Logistically talking, the Leopards current a key benefit over America’s M1 Abrams and the British Challenger 2: bigger shares.

“It is spare elements, it is restore, upkeep, and overhaul that must be executed. And there the pool of Leopard is far greater,” Mölling stated.

“Even just by cannibalising all of the tanks, you’ll be able to acquire spare elements. So, the amount of choices that it’s important to function them is far simpler. It is a lot, a lot increased.”

Ukraine estimates it wants 300 Western tanks to launch a counteroffensive that may push Russia again to the pre-war strains.

KMW says it has to date delivered 3,500 Leopard items around the globe, however Western international locations need to guarantee their very own navy capabilities will not be weakened by continued deliveries to Kyiv.

The oldest fashions of Leopards are the likeliest to be despatched to Kyiv, whereas European governments work to improve the remaining tanks or purchase the newest accessible model, Mölling stated.

“You’ll have to make a really fast resolution on the refill. On the identical time, it’s important to resolve which kind of tanks you suppose make an necessary navy distinction sooner or later, which can be extra difficult by the Ukraine conflict,” he added.

“Logistical sustainability in a serious conflict is a headache and is usually a nightmare, even to the preventing forces, as a result of they’re left with out that gear if the logistics do not work.”