Germany to order 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks

Germany’s budget committee has approved the purchase of 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks in addition to 18 previously ordered combat vehicles.

Reuters reported on this after reviewing the German budget project.

The government has approved the allocation of EUR 2.93 billion in budget funds to order the production of 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks from KNDS.

The purchase of additional tanks is part of an option to the contract signed last May, which covered the order of 18 new vehicles.

The German Defense Ministry expects to receive the first samples of the most advanced version of the Leopard 2 tank between 2027 and 2030.

According to the draft budget, which was reviewed by Reuters, some of the ordered tanks will be used by the German 45th Panzer Brigade, which has been deployed in Lithuania as part of the strengthening of NATO’s eastern borders.

Orders from other European countries will also ensure the resumption of large-scale tank production after years of stagnation at the German KNDS unit’s facilities in the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, Italy, and the Netherlands.

It is reported that the Czech Republic plans to order 61 combat vehicles, Italy 132, and Lithuania up to 54 tanks. Sweden and the Netherlands are interested in purchasing main battle tanks.

In particular, part of the tank production will be localized in the Czech Republic at the Excalibur Army facilities. Plans are also in place to organize a turret production line for the Leopard 2A8.

Leopard 2A8

The Leopard 2A8 is a modern main battle tank manufactured by the German company Krauss Maffei Wegmann (now KNDS). The new modification is based on the previous version of the Leopard 2A7 tank.

The combat vehicle has received a number of improvements, such as the integration of the EuroTrophy APS active protection system and the All-round Awareness System. It is also equipped with a new set of passive protection (armor) and enhanced hull bottom protection, which should save the crew in the event of an anti-tank mine or improvised explosive device.

The tank also received the ability to install additional composite armor modules along the sides of the turret and hull. The armor modules are designed to provide protection against the RPG-7, which, depending on the ammunition, can penetrate up to 600 millimeters of steel armor.