Ukraine may receive Greek Leopard 1s
28 August, 2023 Greek Leopard 1 tank. Photo from open sources. The German government is offering Greece to transfer its Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine in exchange for the same number of modernized tanks.
The Greek edition of Flight reports. Germany has offered a circular exchange to Greece, replacing their outdated tanks with the former Italian Leopard 1A5s, the transfer of which was previously blocked by the Swiss government. The incentive for a new iteration of the circular exchange for the Greek side should be the receipt of vehicles that will undergo major repairs, as well as an upgrade of the fire control system on EMES 18 with new thermal imaging sights.
The tanks will also receive additional armor. According to the newspaper, the only requirement from Germany to the Greek government for the circular exchange is that the tanks be handed over in due course. This is an important clarification, as the Greek tanks have not been overhauled for a long time, and a large number of them are not in a combat-ready state.
The exchange of up to 100 Greek tanks in a one-to-one ratio may be discussed. All costs of modernization and transfer should be covered by Germany.
RUAG's Leopard 1 tanks at a parking lot in Italy. August 2023. Photo credits: rsi.ch
The exchange of equipment is likely to be based on the experience of the existing trilateral agreement, under which Ukraine has received Greek BMP-1s in exchange for German Marder 1s.
Back then, Ukraine received from Greece in several batches the same number of vehicles as Germany. The total Leopard 1 tank fleet of Greece comprises about 500 vehicles. It consists mainly of the Leopard 1A5 and Leopard GR tanks.
However, not all of them are currently in working order. Leopard 1GRs are actually upgraded Leopard 1A3 tanks purchased from the Bundeswehr in the amount of 104 units. They received a more modern EMES 12A3 fire control system.
Greek Leopard 1GR tank.
Photo from open sources.
The country also has a certain number of Leopard 1Vs in service, which previously belonged to the Royal Netherlands Army and are actually of the Leopard 1A4 generation, which once received the new EMES 12A3 fire control system. Greek Leopard 1 tanks have not been modernized for 30 years since they entered the armed forces, and are now in a worn-out condition due to the lack of overhaul. Some of their components, such as sights, are no longer produced by the manufacturer and are not available on the market.
It is worth reminding that for a long time now, allied countries have been buying up stocks of Leopard 1 tanks across Europe and modernizing them with the intention of further transferring them to Ukraine.
It was planned to provide up to a hundred combat units by the end of 2023.