Summary and Key Points: Germany’s Leopard 2 remains a benchmark main battle tank because it blends speed, protection, and accurate firepower into a system that’s hard to beat when used correctly.
-The 2A7V variant adds modular armor, improved sensors, and a stronger 120 mm gun designed to maximize lethality at range while improving crew survivability.
Leopard 2A8 Tank New. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
-Operators value its mobility, optics, and fire-control precision—traits that help tanks win fights before the opponent can react.
-Combat in Ukraine has also highlighted a reality: even elite tanks can underperform without trained maintenance, robust logistics, and combined-arms tactics that keep armor from fighting alone.
Why Great Tanks Struggle in Ukraine: Leopard 2’s Hard Lesson
The Leopard 2 is widely considered one of the world’s best, most reliable, and capable main battle tanks. Some armor enthusiasts consider it the equal of, if not better than, the American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tank.
Renowned for its excellent mobility (it has a 1,500-horsepower engine), superior optics, and high-precision fire control, the third-generation German main battle tank offers a strong balance of firepower, speed, and protection. Developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s, the tank entered service in 1979 and replaced the earlier Leopard 1.
The Leopard 2 was originally designed in the 1970s for the West German army in response to the Soviet threat. The tanks are built to move quickly over varied terrain and defeat enemy armor.
The Leopard 2 is operated by the armed forces of Germany and 21 other nations. Some operating countries have licensed the Leopard 2 design for local production and domestic development.
German Leopard 2 Tank. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Meet The German Leopard 2
The Leopard 2A7V is Germany’s most advanced version tank. Protection is upgraded through a new modular armor package, lethality is increased with a more powerful L/55A1 120-mm cannon and advanced ammunition, and new sensors and electronics make for better situational awareness.
This version entered service with the German Bundeswehr in September 2021. It weighs approximately 66.5 tons and is powered by an MTU MB 873 Ka501 engine, which is widely regarded as highly advanced. It also has an outstanding power-to-weight ratio of roughly (27.2) hp/ton.
The turbocharged diesel engine with an automatic transmission displaces 47.6 liters and propels the Leopard 2 to a maximum speed of 72 kilometers per hour.
The Leopard is “quite powerful with regard to firepower. So, it can fire quite a long range with different types of ammunition that you can basically shape towards your target, so what you want to hit, you can choose different types of ammunition for that,” Dr. Christian Mölling, head of the Centre for Security and Defence at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP), told Euronews. “It has very advanced armor, which is also important for the tank crews. If you don’t have to fear that any shot that hits you means that you basically go up in flames, it’s quite something that helps you psychologically.”
“And the third point is manuever,” Mölling added. “It’s quite a speedy vehicle. So this also gives you a certain tactical advantage in moving in and out quite fast, but also crossing distances in a quite short range.”
Swedish soldiers with the Wartofta Tank Company, Skaraborg Regiment in a Stridsvagn 122 main battle tank conduct the defensive operations lane during the Strong Europe Tank Challenge, June 7, 2018. U.S. Army Europe and the German Army co-host the third Strong Europe Tank Challenge at Grafenwoehr Training Area, June 3 – 8, 2018. The Strong Europe Tank Challenge is an annual training event designed to give participating nations a dynamic, productive and fun environment in which to foster military partnerships, form Soldier-level relationships, and share tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Army photo by Gertrud Zach)
Leopard 2. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
The Leopard 2 Has Excellent Armor Protection
The Leopard 2 has undergone numerous modifications and upgrades to modernize the tank, including the integration of modular armor, digital systems, and hard-kill active protection against anti-tank weapons.
The frontal protection has been enhanced by a dual kit on the turret and hull front, and by 360-degree protection against RPGs. The lower hull has been reinforced for mine protection, increasing the tank’s survivability in urban operations.
The modular armor system components were first used by Canada in Afghanistan. The Leopard 2’s Armament
The main gun is a 120-mm Rheinmetall Rh-120 smoothbore tank gun, which can fire DM63 rounds across four km and reach twice that range with LAHAT anti-tank guided missiles. It can carry 42 rounds, as well as 4,750 rounds of 7.62 mm bullets for its twin machine guns.
The Leopard 2 can fire programmable High Explosive munitions. The turret-mounted MG3 has been replaced with a stabilized FLW 200 remotely controlled weapon station.
On February 22, 2021, Germany signed a contract with Israel to purchase the Trophy active protection system.
The Leopard 2 Has Been In Combat In Ukraine
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky requested the U.S.-made M1 Abrams and the Leopard 2.
Germany initially sent 14 Leopard 2s, followed by an additional 100 or more tanks. The U.S., however, was reluctant to send Ukraine any M1 Abrams tanks because the extensive maintenance requirements to keep the M1s on the road were beyond the Ukrainian military’s capacity.
The U.S. eventually relented and sent 31 M1s, along with Germany’s Leopard 2s. But the two best tanks in the world have flopped mainly in Ukraine for reasons unrelated to how good the tanks are. As expected, the untrained Ukrainian troops tasked with maintaining the Leopard 2s could not perform the required maintenance.The Leopard 2 is complex to maintain, particularly due to its sophisticated fire control system and the powerful V-12 twin-turbo diesel engine. Maintenance requires specially trained technicians and tools, plus the ability to work under constant threat of drone attack.
Ukraine’s Armed Forces And The Combined Arms Approach
Further, the Ukrainians do not use the combined arms approach that the German and U.S. militaries rely upon, wherein different arms coordinate in a single operation to maximize results.
The Leopard 2 is designed to work in conjunction with air support and combined infantry and armor. But the Russians built defenses in depth that forced an attritional war.
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In this context, Leopard 2s and M1 Abrams often are attacking alone, which makes them very vulnerable to anti-tank missiles and top-down-fired drones.
The main battle tank remains the backbone of modern land-based warfare, integrating firepower, mobility, and protection to command the battlefield. Tanks in general remain relevant and necessary for modern ground warfare, despite vulnerabilities to modern anti-tank weapons and drones—especially in Ukraine.
And the Leopard 2 is an outstanding tank—one of the best in the world.
Author Information and Biography: Steve Balestrieri
Steve Balestrieri is a National Security Columnist. He served as a US Army Special Forces NCO and Warrant Officer. In addition to writing on defense, he covers the NFL for PatsFans.com and is a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA). His work was regularly featured in many military publications.
