On October 29, a solemn ceremony was held in Munich for the delivery of the first modernized Leopard 2A7V main battle tank. Now the companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall have to update two hundred tanks of various modifications, which will result in a significant increase in the combat capability of the ground forces. According to existing plans, by the mid-twenties, the Leopard 2A7V tank should become the basis of armored units.
Tank key
The ceremony of handing over the finished equipment took place on October 29. It was attended by representatives of the military and political leadership of Germany and Denmark. The latter was also supposed to receive the first tank that was modernized according to a modern project.
The main characters of the ceremony were MBT Leopard 2A7V and Leopard 2A7. Tank with the letter "V" (Verbessert - "Improved") was intended for the Bundeswehr. The Danish army, in turn, received its first Leopard 2A7.
In a solemn atmosphere, representatives of the contractor company handed to the military of the two countries the symbolic keys to the armored vehicles. In the near future, deliveries will continue, but the transfer of finished machines will be carried out without such ceremonies, in a working environment.
Two contracts
The Leopard 2A7V MBT modernization project was first presented to the public in 2016. It proposes replacing part of the equipment and updating the weapons, after which the tank gets new capabilities and increases its characteristics. The tank of the new modification passed the necessary checks quickly enough and was recommended for adoption.
In the spring of 2016, the German Ministry of Defense announced new plans for the development of a fleet of armored vehicles. To strengthen the Bundeswehr by 2020, it was proposed to increase the fleet of tanks from 225 cash to 329 units. The construction of new equipment was not envisaged, but it was necessary to carry out repairs and modernization of the existing MBT, incl. according to the newest project "A7V".
In May 2017, KMW and Rheinmetall received an order to modernize the first batch of Leopard 2 tanks. By 2023, 104 armored vehicles of various modifications must be repaired and updated. Contractors will receive 760 million euros for these works. According to the contract, 20 Leopard 2A7, 16 Leopard 2A6 and 68 Leopard 2A4 tanks are subject to modernization.
The fulfillment of the 2017 contract will improve the tank fleet not only qualitatively, but also quantitatively. Curiously, out of hundreds of converted tanks, only 20 Leopards 2A7 previously belonged to Germany. Armored vehicles of the "2A4" version were bought from Sweden, and the newer "2A6" - from the Netherlands. Thus, the contract will increase the existing fleet of armored vehicles by 84 "used" units.
In March 2019, a new order appeared for the repair and modernization of armored vehicles. For its implementation, KMW and Rheinmetall will receive 300 million euros. The contract provides for the rework of 101 MBT Leopard 2A6 and Leopard 2A6M2. These works should be completed by 2026.
German plans
Two existing contracts with a total value of more than 1 billion euros provide for the modernization of 205 MBT Leopard 2 of different modifications. The equipment for their implementation will come from German armored units, as well as from third countries.
The purchase of tanks abroad and the return of equipment from storage will allow the Bundeswehr to fulfill existing plans and by 2020 to increase the tank fleet to 329 units. At the same time, the army will have to simultaneously operate MBT of different modifications, incl. old enough. The process of modernizing equipment for the new project will be completed only in the middle of the decade.
Thanks to the completion of work on the second contract in 2019, the German army will be able to change the structure of tank units, bringing the share of modern technology to the required values. Also, the Bundeswehr will have some reserve of equipment that can be used in the future.
According to two contracts, 205 vehicles of other modifications will be converted into Leopard 2A7V tanks. Four tank battalions will be equipped with them in the future. Two more battalions will continue to operate the older "Leopards" modification "2A6" - about 90 units. 32 obsolete Leopard 2A4 will be sent for storage.
Features of modernization
The Leopard 2A7V project offers the most serious modernization of the basic MBT with the replacement of a mass of devices and instruments. The hull and turret, armament and fire control systems, the power plant, etc. are being refined. It is also planned to introduce some fundamentally new devices and products.
At the same time, some features of the real serial modernization remain unknown. The Bundeswehr, KMW and Rheinmetall have not yet clarified which innovations are used in the massive renewal of equipment. In addition, there is information about a "mixed" approach to the modernization of tank weapons. Nevertheless, in general MBT "Leopard-2" should receive a lot of new systems and devices that have a positive effect on their characteristics.
The survivability of the tank is proposed to be increased due to the new anti-mine booking on the bottom. The hull and turret can be fitted with Saab's Barracuda coating. The main motor is not replaced, but is complemented by an auxiliary power unit of the Steyr M12 type to supply power to the systems. The habitable compartment receives air conditioning and a new SOTAS intercom from Thales.
It is proposed to replace the standard 120-mm smoothbore gun with the upgraded Rh-120 L55A1 gun with increased power. According to some reports, such weapons will be received only by the upgraded Leopard 2A4 tanks, which will carry a 44 caliber cannon. The newer "2A6" and "2A7" originally have a 55-caliber barrel, and they decided to leave them without the upgraded gun.
All the main instruments of the tank are united by the IFIS combat information and control system. The modernization of the fire control system is envisaged, including the replacement of sights and updating of computing facilities. In connection with the introduction of new ammunition with a programmable fuse, the tanks will receive a programmer for the MKM system.
According to the results of the latest modernization of the MBT, Leopard 2A7V retains the maximum external similarity with the machines of previous modifications, but receives significant tactical, technical and operational advantages. In addition, the service life is extended due to the repair.
Tank of the near future
The Leopard 2A7V project was created with the aim of updating the armored vehicles of previous modifications in accordance with current requirements, challenges and threats. With its help, it was proposed to modernize the fleet of combat vehicles, extending their resource and ensuring the possibility of service for the next several decades.
The Bundeswehr's tank fleet is expected to undergo major changes by 2026. It is planned to increase the number of MBTs by almost a third, as well as adjust the proportion of vehicles of different models. Almost two thirds of all tanks will belong to the newest modification "2A7V". The proportion of older machines will decline due to modernization or storage.
The emergence of the Leopard 2A7V project and the subsequent modernization will allow maintaining combat effectiveness until the appearance of fundamentally new main tanks. Replacement for "Leopard-2" will appear only in the mid-thirties. During this period, Germany and France are going to complete the development of a promising MGCS tank and start production. Over the next few years, it will be possible to carry out a complete replacement of equipment.
However, there is a decade and a half before the appearance of a completely new MBT, and the current Leopard 2A7V vehicles have yet to serve. The companies KMW and Rheinmetall have already established the process of modernizing existing tanks according to the new project and have already handed over to the customer the first modernized armored vehicle. Thus, the tanks "Leopard-2" remain in service - and for many more years will form the basis of the striking power of the Bundeswehr.
