For Ukraine, what’s so particular about Germany’s Leopard 2 tanks?

In a press release final week, the Ukrainian overseas and protection ministers mentioned that whereas they welcomed Britain’s “daring and well timed choice” to ship a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks, they have been “not adequate to realize operational targets.” They went on to attraction to international locations “which have Leopard 2 tanks in service” to ship them to Ukraine.

For Berlin, the concentrate on the tanks has change into a geopolitical headache — and the federal government of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has up to now rebuffed calls to export the Leopard 2. Though this week, German Overseas Minister Annalena Baerbock mentioned in an interview with French tv that her authorities “wouldn’t stand in the best way” if Poland requested to ship its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Right here’s what to know in regards to the Leopard 2 and why Ukraine says it wants them.

Why does Ukraine choose the Leopard 2?

The Leopard 2 was first launched in 1979 and has since been upgraded a number of instances, gaining a fame as among the finest principal battle tanks on the planet.

It was designed by West German arms producer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to exchange the unique Leopard tank, which entered service in 1965. The Leopard 2 is extra superior than most of the Soviet-era tanks fielded by each Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Even older variations of the tank have fashionable optics, together with thermal imaging, that permit it to function day and evening, in addition to magnification and a laser vary finder to trace targets. The tanks are constructed to maneuver shortly, with a most pace of round 44 miles per hour regardless of their 55-ton weight, based on the producer.

The Leopard 2 additionally has quite a lot of options designed to guard the crew. Compartmentalized ammunition storage avoids the devastating “jack-in-the-box” explosions seen with Russia’s T-72 tanks, the place ammunition is saved under the crew.

The tank is powered by a diesel engine, which is comparatively simple to refuel and provides the automobile an prolonged vary of about 210 miles on street. It additionally makes use of standardized NATO 120mm ammunition, which might grant Ukraine entry to a bigger pool of suppliers than its present tanks, which require 125mm.

What number of Leopard 2s are there, and the place are they positioned?

Researchers estimate there are greater than 2,000 Leopard 2 tanks in Europe. Greater than half are considered the older 2A4 and 2A5 variants, together with greater than 200 held in storage in Germany itself, in accordance to the Worldwide Institute for Strategic Research.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for German arms group Rheinmetall instructed native media that the corporate might ship 139 Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine if required, Reuters reported, though some wouldn’t arrive till the top of the 12 months or in early 2024.

A lot of these already exported from Germany have been despatched to European international locations or NATO member states comparable to Canada and Turkey. Different international locations which have purchased Leopard 2 tanks embrace Singapore, Chile, and Qatar.

Ukraine has centered on the Leopard 2 partially as a result of there are such a lot of in Europe, the place they might be transported to the battlefield with relative ease. However underneath offers with buying international locations, the German authorities should log off on any transfers.

In a word printed in September, the European Council on Overseas Relations known as on Western nations to assist a plan to ship Leopard 2s to Ukraine, saying that the “extra that international locations donate tanks, the better it is going to be to share the burden of giving them away.”

What in regards to the options, together with the U.S. M1 Abrams?

In terms of principal battle tanks, the Leopard 2 has one principal rival: The U.S.-made M1 Abrams.

In service since 1980, the M1 Abrams has comparable specs to the Leopard 2, however some clear benefits. Fashionable variations have layers of depleted uranium armor safety that provide important advantages to the crew inside.

In a cellphone name earlier this month, Scholz steered to President Biden that to ensure that Germany to unlock a package deal of Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine, Washington ought to ship the M1 Abrams.

Nonetheless, the Biden administration has argued that the U.S.-made tanks have numerous disadvantages for the sphere in Ukraine.

They use jet gas, which is much tougher to acquire in comparison with the diesel utilized by the Leopard 2. Although the tank as soon as weighed 60 tons, it has ballooned in weight through the years; new variations can weigh almost 75 tons, which provides logistical difficulties. That’s a number of weight to drive over a bridge, for instance.

Additionally they have sophisticated upkeep necessities, U.S. officers have instructed reporters, and require specialised coaching.