The two most notable changes were the modification of the ammunition racks to be identical to those in the M1 Abrams, and redesigned fuel filters that reduced refuelling time. 20 of these tanks were loaned to the Canadian Army by the German Army for the Afghanistan War.These vehicles received the added “M” Mine Armor package and other additional modifications for Canadian Army service, hence their new designation. After an initial assessment of the performance of the Leopard C2 in Afghanistan, Canada decided to invest in Leopard 2 tanks. The Leopard 2 can drive through water 10 meters (33 ft) deep using a snorkel or 2.5 meters (8 ft 2 in) without any preparation or 4 meters (13 ft) with preparation but without vehicle snorkel or use a water proof system to dive through water without any problems with oxygen up to 9 hours because of the life support system, climb vertical obstacles up to 2.5 metres high, trenches up to 4 meters wide, slopes up to 10 degrees, a maximum gradient of 15%, a maximum water speed of 15 km/h, and the tank is even semi-amphibious. It is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, and is powered by a V-12 twin-turbo diesel engine. [45] Currently, Canadian Leopard 2's in Afghanistan have since been fitted with an air conditioning unit, and the Saab Barracuda camouflage mats which also serve to reduce solar loading by 50 percent. "The Spanish Leopard 2E: A Magnificent Tool". Later in the Afghan war, more modern Leopard 2 tanks were also sent to Afghanistan. It is based on what was then called "Leopard 2 Improved" and features increased armour on the turret top and front hull, and improved command, control and fire control systems. The Leopard 2A4CHL also has improved roof and side turret armour and can be uplinked with Chile's battlefield control network. The Leopard 2A6M is a version of the 2A6 with enhanced mine protection under the chassis, and a number of internal enhancements to improve crew survivability. 20001 to 20172) was completed. [28] Beginning on December 7, 2008, Leopard 2 tanks took part in Operation Red Dagger, firing 31 rounds in support of Coalition troops as they recaptured Nad Ali District. The vehicles were manufactured from October 1979 until March 1982, altogether 380 vehicles. ", http://www.focus.de/politik/deutschland/milliardengeschaeft-deutsche-kampfpanzer-nach-saudi-arabien_aid_642586.html, "Germany Wants to Supply Battle Tanks to Saudi Arabia", http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/growth-in-arms-exports-germany-wants-to-supply-battle-tanks-to-saudi-arabia-a-772177.html, "Germany's contribution to the Arab spring: arms sales – Hans Kundnani", http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jul/09/germany-arms-sale-saudi-arabia, "Tank Exports to Saudi Arabian Signal German Policy Shift", http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/the-merkel-doctrine-tank-exports-to-saudi-arabian-signal-german-policy-shift-a-791380.html, "KMW-Miteigentümer gegen Panzerausfuhr nach Saudi-Arabien", http://web.archive.org/web/20120623175834/http://www.tagesschau.de/inland/ruestungsexport100.html, "Desert Leopards: Germany Selling Heavy Armor to the Saudis? In 1998, the Spanish government agreed to contract 219 tanks of the Leopard 2E line, 16 recovery tanks Leopard 2ER (Bufalo) and 4 training vehicles. The Leopard 2 first saw combat in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian contributions to the International Security Assistance Force. Scheibert, Michael; Schneider, Wolfgang (1986) (in German). All models feature digital fire control systems with laser rangefinders, a fully stabilized main gun and coaxial machine gun, and advanced night vision and sighting equipment (first vehicles used a low-light level TV system or LLLTV; thermal imaging was introduced later on). The Leopard 2E is a derivative of the 2A6, with greater armour protection,[47] developed under a program of co-production between the defence industries of Spain and Germany but without most of its advanced features(It has no AMAP and MEXAS). These photos confirm the destruction of at least eight. The PERI-R 17 A2 is a stabilised panoramic periscope sight designed for day / night observation and target identification, and it provides an all round view with a traverse of 360°. Command and control of the tank was supposed to be improved by the introduction of the ISIS system in its latest version. Perang Afghanistan merupakan salah satu medan tempur dimana Leopard 2 pernah ditugaskan. [6] All Leopard 2 variants after the Leopard 2A6 include spall liners on the inside of the tank, protecting the crew. In October 2003, Canada was planning to replace its Leopard C2s with wheeled Stryker Mobile Gun Systems. [6] 4750 rounds of machine gun ammunition are carried on board the Leopard 2. The Leopard 2 first saw combat in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian contributions to the International Security Assistance Force. In Afghanistan, the snow leopard can be found in the Wakhan Corridor, near the country’s border with China and Tajikistan, where the Hindu Kush mountain range starts. [40] Portugal also purchased 37 Leopard 2A6 from the Dutch in 2007, with delivery in 2008. The US Army reported that the Leopard 2 and the XM1 were comparable in firepower and mobility, but the XM1 was superior in armour protection. The Leopard 2A7+ was first shown to the public during the Eurosatory 2010, featuring the label "Developed by KMW - tested and qualified by German MoD". The procurement system caught up with events in June 2009 with the approval of the Tank Replacement Project. 10001 to 10210) and 171 by Mak (Chassis Nr. The Leopard 2 is often compared to its near contemporary, ... commanders for their mobility and providing accurate and timely fire support during major combat operations in southern Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Leopard 2 manufacturer Rheinmetall has unveiled its own ADATS APS, which supposedly poses a lesser risk of harming friendly troops with its defensive countermeasure missiles. Key point: The Leopard 2 is a very good tank. The Leopard 2 A6M was developed further, drawing upon experience gained from the Balkan conflict. The Leopard 2 is a main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei in the early 1970s for the West German Army. Includes the addition of the Rheinmetall 120 mm L55 smoothbore gun and a number of other changes. The commander's sight was moved to a new position behind the hatch and it received an independent thermal channel. [8], The crew is also protected against Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) threats, as the Leopard 2 is equipped with a NBC overpressurization system which provides up to 40 mbar (0.04 kp/cm2) over-pressure inside the vehicle.[6]. The Leopard 2A6M CAN Tank, is a Canadian variant of the Leopard 2A6 Tank. Buffalo): The BPz3 armoured recovery vehicle includes both a bulldozer and a crane with integral winch, allowing it to approach damaged vehicles, even over rough and fought-over terrain, and tow them to safety. They chose Santa Bárbara Sistemas as the main contractor. The Leopard 2A4M CAN is specially designed for the war in Afghanistan based on experience gained by Leopard 2 operators and a lot of first-hand knowledge from crews aided in the development of this new version. Military Technology (Mönch Editorial Group), p.66. The main change was the addition of the SEM80/90 digital radio sets (also being fitted to the Leopard 1 at the same time), and the ammunition reloading hatches being welded shut. Hull twenty was fitted with simulation weights; later it was discovered that these equalled only the weight of a turret without armour modules fitted, invalidating all performance data. Battles in Afghanistan, Kosovo and elsewhere have earned Germany's Leopard 2 battle tank a reputation for being indestructible. More than 3,480 Leopard 2s have been manufactured. The U.S. Army recently authorized the installation of Israeli Trophy APS on a brigade of M1 Abrams tanks, a type that has proven effective in combat. [6] The Leopard 2 has 4 fuel tanks, which have a total capacity of approximately 1,200 litres, giving a maximum road range of about 750 km. The tests were partially successful, with the gun showing superior penetration power, but also some difficulties with the handling.[49]. [27] The first fatality suffered by a crew operating a Leopard 2 happened on 25 July 2008. The baseline Leopard 2 entered service in 1979 to help NATO blunt a potential Warsaw Pact armored invasion.The new armored vehicles replaced many of the older, first-generation Leopards. [citation needed]. Austria (114), Canada (107), Chile (140), Denmark (51), Finland (139), Greece (183), Norway (52), Poland (128), Portugal (37), Singapore (96) Spain (108), Sweden (160), and Turkey (339) were among the buyers of the surplus tanks. Jerchel, Michael; Schnellbacher, Uwe (1998). [48], As the 1990s began, Rheinmetall began developing a 140 mm smoothbore cannon as a future tank cannon. The Leopard 2A5 DK is a variant of the Leopard 2A5 similar to the Leopard 2A6 with some small modifications, used by the Danish Army. Foss, Christopher F. Janes Tanks and Combat Vehicles Recognition Guide. nationalinterest.org • 1d. A Danish Leopard 2A5 hit an IED in Helmand Province. Three Leopard wrecks can be seen around the same hospital near Al-Bab, along with several other Turkish armored vehicles. [6] The commander has an independent periscope, the Rheinmetall/Zeiss PERI-R 17 A2. Terrain: ca. The bottles are connected to pipes and hoses and are activated automatically by the fire detection system, when temperatures rise above 82 °C (180 °F) inside the fighting compartment, or manually via a control panel in the driver's compartment. 209 were built by Krauss Maffei and 171 by MaK. Before tests had begun the United States had selected the Chrysler XM1 prototype for full development. The turret and chassis of the Leopard 2A7+ are fitted with a cooling system. 6 large belts hold him in the right position. The modest differences between the two Western tanks reveal different national philosophies. There are two main development batches of the tank, the original models up to Leopard 2A4 which have vertically-faced turret armour, and the "improved" batch, namely the Leopard 2A5 and newer versions, which have angled arrow-shaped turret appliqué armour together with a number of other improvements. The 55 ton Leopard 2A4 is a contemporary of … The primary sight has an integrated Neodymium Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (Nd:YAG) solid state laser rangefinder and a 120 element cadmium mercury telluride, CdHgTe (also known as CMT) Zeiss thermal sight which are both linked to the tank's fire control computer. Switzerland bought 380 between 1987 and 1993. Furthermore the upgrade included the fitting of filler openings and caps to the forward hull fuel tanks to allow separate refuelling, as well as the addition of a deflector plate for the periscope and a large coverplate to protect the existing NBC protection system. There were also some improvements in the main armour composition. [33] Though originally planned to be up-gunned to the L55 for consistency with the 2A6M CAN, the longer barreled guns (optimized for tank-vs-tank warfare) were found to be less than ideal in Afghanistan, therefore it was decided to retain the L44. The procurement system caught up with events in June 2009 with the approval of the Tank Replacement Project. Germany has fielded about 2,125 Leopard 2s in various versions. This version included Swiss-built 7.5 mm Mg 87 machine guns and communications equipment, and featured improved NBC protection system. The barrel has a chrome lining to increase barrel life. The running gear consists of seven dual rubber-tyred road wheels and four return rollers per side, with the idler wheel at the front and drive sprocket at the rear. The procurement system caught up with events in June 2009 with the approval of the Tank Replacement Project. Bakanın ağzından savunma ihalelerinde rüşvet kuşkusu (2009-11-30). The second phase is delivering the Canadian Army with Leopard 2 support vehicles, for crew training, armoured recovery and combat engineer work. The final project design contained a lateral loading mechanism and had the main gun moved in the left turret side. Leopard 2A4M CAN được thiết kế đặc biệt cho cuộc chiến ở Afghanistan, dựa trên kinh nghiệm thu được bởi kíp lái Leopard 2 tại đây. Two Leopard 2 Büffel Armoured Recovery Vehicles were acquired at the same time. However, that reputation for nigh-invincibility has faced setbacks on Syrian battlefields, and placed Berlin in a uniquely awkward national-level dispute with Turkey, its fellow NATO member. Their habitat spans across twelve nations and 2 million square kilometers. [5] Estimated levels of protection for the Leopard 2 range from 1840mm - 2920mm vs APFSDS and 2780mm - 4370mm vs HEAT on the Leopard 2A4, to 5890mm - 7800mm vs APFSDS and 9000mm - 11500mm vs HEAT on the Leopard 2A6 without MEXAS, and AMAP which will increase the tanks protection up to 2500 times. This was intended to counter new developments in Soviet-bloc armoured fighting vehicles, most especially persistent rumours that the next-generation Soviet main battle tank would be armed with either a 135 mm or 152 mm cannon. The Leopard 2s were manufactured in eight batches between 1985 and 1992. Various versions have served in the armed forces of Germany and 12 other European countries, as well as several non-European nations, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia, Singapore, and Turkey. The Danish Army operates 51 Leopard 2A5DK (equal to Leopard 2A6 minus the L55 gun) and 6 Leopard 2A4 (for spares) from German stocks. The Leopard 2 first saw combat in Kosovo with the German Army and has also seen action in Afghanistan with the Danish and Canadian contributions to the International Security Assistance Force. 10211 to 10458) and 202 by Mak (Chassis Nr. Jerchel, Michael; Uwe Schnellbacher (1998). Sehingga kini, pertempuran yang dilalui Leopard 2 hanyalah semasa operasi oleh Pasukan Kosovo - KFOR di Kosovo dan kuasa Barat dalam Perperangan Afghanistan (2001–kini).