Key Points and Summary – The German Leopard 2 is widely considered one of the world’s best main battle tanks, featuring advanced armor, a powerful 120mm gun, and high-tech systems like the Trophy Active Protection System.
-Despite its superb reputation, the Leopard 2 has underperformed mainly in Ukrainian service against Russia.
-This is not a failure of the tank itself, but of its context.
-A lack of trained maintenance crews and Ukraine’s inability to employ the required combined-arms tactics has left the tanks vulnerable, often forcing them to attack alone against prepared Russian defenses.
The German Leopard 2 MBT: Germany’s Superb Big Cat
The Leopard 2 is a third-generation German main battle tank. Developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s, the tank entered service in 1979 and replaced the earlier Leopard 1 as the West German Army’s MBT.
The Leopard 2 is operated by the armed forces of Germany, as well as 21 other nations. Some operating countries have licensed the Leopard 2 design for local production and domestic development.
The Leopard 2 is considered one of the best tanks in the world. Some armor analysts and enthusiasts consider it equal to if not better than the American M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams main battle tank.
Meet The German Leopard 2
The Leopard 2A7V is Germany’s most advanced version of the Leopard 2 main battle tank. It features enhanced protection through a new modular armor package, improved lethality with its more powerful L/55A1 cannon and advanced ammunition, and better situational awareness, thanks to new sensors and electronics.
This version entered service with the German Bundeswehr in September 2021. It weighs about 66.5 tons and is powered by an MTU MB 873 Ka501, which was considered highly advanced and exceptional when it was introduced.
Capable of generating 1,500 horsepower, the turbocharged diesel engine with an automatic transmission made the Leopard 2 very fast, able to reach a maximum speed of 72 kilometers per hour.
Armor Protection Is Top Notch
The Leopard 2 has seen many modifications and advancements, including modular armor, digital upgrades, and Hard Kill Active Protection against anti-tank weapons.
The frontal protection has been improved, with a dual kit on the turret and hull front, while 360-degree protection defends against RPGs. The lower hull has been reinforced against mines, increasing the survivability of the tank in urban operations.
The Canadian military in Afghanistan first used the modular armor’s components.
Leopard 2 Armament
The main gun is a 120-mm Rheinmetall Rh-120 smoothbore tank gun, which can fire DM63 rounds to a distance of 4 km – it can reach twice that range with LAHAT anti-tank guided missiles. The tank can carry 42 rounds, as well as 4,750 rounds of 7.62-mm bullets for its twin machine guns.
The tank can fire programmable High Explosive munitions. The turret-mounted MG3 has been replaced with a stabilized FLW 200 remotely controlled weapon station.
The improved Leopard features cameras for better situational awareness; an enhanced gun barrel for increased lifespan and foreseeable ammunition improvements; a Battlefield Management System; and belly and lower glacis armor.
On Feb. 22, 2021, Germany signed a contract with Israel to purchase the Trophy active protection system (APS) for the Leopard 2A7V. The Trophy APS is now in service with three countries, including Israel on the Merkava 4; the United States on the M1A2 SEPV V3; and Germany’s Leopard.
The Leopard 2 Has Seen Action In Ukraine
After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was adamant about Kyiv’s need for main battle tanks, including 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 needed to keep the M1s on the road were deemed beyond the Ukrainian military’s capabilities.
Eventually Washington relented and sent 31 M1s. These joined Germany’s Leopard 2s, but the two best tanks in the world have mostly flopped in Ukraine.
As expected, untrained troops in Ukraine can’t perform the needed maintenance.The Leopard 2 is complex to maintain, particularly its sophisticated fire control system and its powerful V-12 twin turbo-diesel engine.
Leopard 2. Image Credit: Creative Commons.
Worse, the Ukrainians cannot employ the combined-arms approach that the German and U.S. militaries follow. This involves employing different arms 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 have built defenses in depth that have forced more of an attritional war.
Frequently, the Leopard 2s, as well as the M1 Abrams, are attacking alone, which makes them very vulnerable to anti-tank missiles and top-down-fired drones.
However, the Leopard 2 remains an outstanding tank, one of the best in the world.
About the Author: 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.
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