Following intense pressure from its allies, Germany appears to be inching toward approving deliveries of high-tech Leopard 2 main battle tanks that Ukraine and its biggest Western backers hope will boost Kyiv's fight against Russia.
Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, the manufacturer of the Leopard 2, touts it as "the world's leading battle tank" that for nearly a half-century has combined aspects of firepower, protection, speed and maneuverability, making it adaptable to many types of combat situations.
The 55-tonne tank has a crew of four and a range of about 500 kilometers (310 miles), and top speeds of about 68 kilometers per hour (about 42 mph). Now with four main variants, its earliest version first came into service in 1979. Its main weapon is a 120mm smooth bore gun, and it has a fully-digital fire-control system.
What is a Leopard 2 tank?
-It first entered service in 1979.
-The company designed "Krauss Maffei", while the company "Rheinmetall" designed its cannon, while the company manufactured "MTU Frederikshafen".
-It is among the best in the world, with Rheinmetall describing it as "the perfect combination of protection, mobility, maneuverability and firepower".
-Leopard is manufactured in 3 other countries under license from Germany, and the armies of 21 other countries are all NATO members.
-The "Leopard 2A4" version is the most manufactured, while the latest version is the "Leopard 2A7+".
Movement and arming
-The Leopard 2A4 tank has a maximum speed of about 68 kilometers per hour.
-The Leopard 2A4 tank, the model that Ukraine is likely to acquire, weighs about 52 tons, and 55 tons when it is equipped for combat.
-Its engine power is 1,500 horsepower, and its diesel capacity is about 1,160 liters. It can travel a distance of about 280 km (338 km on paved roads or 218 km on unpaved roads).
-The tank crew consists of 4 people, including the tank commander.
Protection
-The Leopard 2A4 version is armored with a mixture of steel, rare earth tungsten, and standard armor.
-In other versions, additional protection is available from materials including titanium and tungsten for the tower and base areas.
-It can also be equipped with active protection measures.
-In the war in Afghanistan, the Leopard impressed with its ability to survive IED attacks.
Firepower
-The "Leopard 2A4" version is equipped with a 120-millimeter "smooth" cannon produced by Rheinmetall, and two 7.62-millimeter machine guns.
-The effective range of the Leopard 2A4 tank is up to 5 kilometers, and the range can be doubled to about 10 kilometers by installing a special ammunition launch system.
-This model can carry 42 120mm rounds and 4750 rounds of 7.62mm when fully loaded.
