For Ukraine, what's so special about Germany's Leopard 2 tanks? - The Washington Post

In a statement past week, the Ukrainian overseas and defence ministers said that portion they welcomed Britain’s “bold and timely decision” to nonstop a squadron of Challenger 2 tanks, they were “not capable to execute operational goals.” They went connected to entreaty to countries “that person Leopard 2 tanks successful service” to nonstop them to Ukraine.

For Berlin, the absorption connected the tanks has go a geopolitical headache — and the authorities of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has truthful acold rebuffed calls to export the Leopard 2. Although this week, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said successful an interrogation with French tv that her authorities “would not basal successful the way” if Poland requested to nonstop its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

Here’s what to cognize astir the Leopard 2 and wherefore Ukraine says it needs them.

The Leopard 2 was archetypal introduced successful 1979 and has since been upgraded respective times, gaining a estimation arsenic 1 of the champion main conflict tanks successful the world.

It was designed by West German arms shaper Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to regenerate the archetypal Leopard tank, which entered work successful 1965. The Leopard 2 is much precocious than galore of the Soviet-era tanks fielded by some Russian and Ukrainian forces.

Even older versions of the vessel person modern optics, including thermal imaging, that let it to run time and night, arsenic good arsenic magnification and a laser scope finder to way targets. The tanks are built to determination quickly, with a maximum velocity of astir 44 miles per hr contempt their 55-ton weight, according to the manufacturer.

The Leopard 2 besides has a assortment of features designed to support the crew. Compartmentalized ammunition retention avoids the devastating “jack-in-the-box” explosions seen with Russia’s T-72 tanks, wherever ammunition is stored beneath the crew.

The vessel is powered by a diesel engine, which is comparatively casual to refuel and gives the conveyance an extended scope of astir 210 miles connected road. It besides uses standardized NATO 120mm ammunition, which would assistance Ukraine entree to a larger excavation of suppliers than its existent tanks, which necessitate 125mm.

Researchers estimation determination are much than 2,000 Leopard 2 tanks successful Europe. More than fractional are thought to beryllium the older 2A4 and 2A5 variants, including much than 200 held successful retention successful Germany itself, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

On Tuesday, a spokesperson for German arms radical Rheinmetall told section media that the institution could present 139 Leopard conflict tanks to Ukraine if required, Reuters reported, though immoderate wouldn’t get until the extremity of the twelvemonth oregon successful aboriginal 2024.

Many of those already exported from Germany person been sent to European countries oregon NATO subordinate states specified arsenic Canada and Turkey. Other countries that person bought Leopard 2 tanks see Singapore, Chile, and Qatar.

Ukraine has focused connected the Leopard 2 successful portion due to the fact that determination are truthful galore successful Europe, wherever they could beryllium transported to the battlefield with comparative ease. But nether deals with purchasing countries, the German government indispensable motion disconnected connected immoderate transfers.

In a note published successful September, the European Council connected Foreign Relations called connected Western nations to enactment a program to nonstop Leopard 2s to Ukraine, saying that the “more that countries donate tanks, the easier it volition beryllium to stock the load of giving them away.”

When it comes to main conflict tanks, the Leopard 2 has 1 main rival: The U.S.-made M1 Abrams.

In work since 1980, the M1 Abrams has akin specs to the Leopard 2, but immoderate wide advantages. Modern versions person layers of depleted uranium armor extortion that connection important benefits to the unit inside.

In a telephone call earlier this month, Scholz suggested to President Biden that successful bid for Germany to unlock a bundle of Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine, Washington should nonstop the M1 Abrams.

However, the Biden medication has argued that the U.S.-made tanks person a fig of disadvantages for the tract successful Ukraine.

They usage pitchy fuel, which is acold much hard to get compared to the diesel utilized by the Leopard 2. Though the vessel erstwhile weighed 60 tons, it has ballooned successful value implicit the years; caller versions can measurement astir 75 tons, which adds logistical difficulties. That’s a batch of value to thrust implicit a bridge, for example.

They besides person analyzable attraction requirements, U.S. officials person told reporters, and necessitate specialized training.