(Reuters) – Germany said on Thursday it would provide Ukraine with its main battle tank, the Leopard 2. It also allows the provision of holdings by Poland and others to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian government has been saying for months that it needs more firepower to penetrate Russia’s defenses. In particular, they insisted on providing the Leopard 2, citing a number of advantages over other tanks such as the British Challenger 2 and the American M1 Abrams.
The strength of the Leopard 2 is that it is one of the best tanks in the West, as well as being one of the most widely used tanks.
It is currently in operation in about 20 countries, and several countries are able to divert part of their holdings to aid Ukraine. Mass production of a single model would make it easier for Ukraine to train crews and maintain.
Production of the Leopard 2 began in 1978, with a total of over 3,500 vehicles produced. Jointly produced by Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and Rheinmetall, it weighs just over 60 tons, has a 120-mm smoothbore cannon, and has a maximum range of 5 kilometers. It is operated in Canada, Denmark, Finland, Holland, Norway, Austria, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, etc.
The Leopard 2 is widely used, but most Western countries lack tanks and heavy weapons as many countries have drastically reduced their military sizes since the collapse of the Soviet Union.
At the height of the Cold War, Germany had about 4,000 main battle tanks, but it now has about 350 Leopard 2s, according to German military expert Karl Schultz.
Also, it is impossible to buy the Leopard 2 in large quantities immediately. Germany’s defense industry is prohibited by law from producing to keep inventories. Normally, countries ordering new tanks should be prepared to wait two to three years for delivery.
Experts estimate that even if production is expanded, it will take at least two years before the first shipments.
The U.S. operates thousands of General Dynamics M1 Abrams, and plans to reverse course and provide dozens of them to Ukraine, according to a U.S. government official.
However, the M1 Abrams is powered by a gas turbine engine and consumes a lot of fuel. Although it can be driven by light oil, it is considered unsuitable for Ukraine because it is difficult to maintain fuel supply.
The Leopard 2 is fueled by diesel, which is more readily available than kerosene, and has excellent fuel efficiency.
The British government announced in January that it would provide 14 Challenger 2s. However, unlike the Leopard 2, it has not been widely deployed, and there is a limit to how many it can deliver to Ukraine.
Also, unlike the M1 Abrams and Leopard 2, which have 120mm smoothbore guns, the Challenger 2 is armed with a rifle and different ammunition, limiting interoperability.
France announced that it was considering providing Leclerc, a main battle tank equipped with a 120mm smoothbore gun, and indicated that it would consider all options.
However, there is a limit to the number that can be provided in terms of overseas military activities. Leclerc also said the maintenance burden would be heavy and not ideal for Ukraine.
