Four European countries are interested in Leopard 2A8 tanks
28 November, 2023 Leopard 2A8 tank of the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann company. May 2023. Photo credits: @Danny_elMayor
Germany offers new Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks to four European countries. Der Monitor fur Defence und Sicherheitspolitik reported on this. Germany is in talks with the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, and the Netherlands about the possible supply of tanks of this type.
The tanks can be delivered within the recently concluded Bundeswehr framework contract for Leopard 2A8 tanks. If this contract with a fixed upper limit on the number of tanks is not enough to supply these countries, it could be extended, or a new contract could be signed.
Leopard 2A8 main battle tank produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. Photo from open sources
Siemtje Moller, Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Ministry of Defense, announced the proposal to supply four countries with new tanks in response to a question from Ingo Gadechens, a member of the Bundestag and member of the Budget Committee, on November 17.
Germany "has offered potential partner countries to purchase Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks currently available on the market. The Czech Republic, Lithuania, Sweden, and the Netherlands are now interested in joint procurement," Moller said. The Bundeswehr concluded the framework contract with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) in May this year.
It includes the purchase of up to 123 Leopard 2A8 battle tanks, of which 18 are to replace the Leopard 2A6 tanks that were transferred to Ukraine. "The Bundeswehr's need to replace the tanks transferred to Ukraine and the currently known needs of partner countries can be covered by the framework contract," Moller outlined. This indicates that the four countries listed above want a maximum of 105 Leopard 2A8s from the current framework contract. However, this may not be enough to cover the combat tank needs of the four countries.
Only the Czech Republic and Lithuania have announced that they are considering purchasing about 70 and 50 battle tanks of this type. The total planned figures for these two countries alone already exceed the current scope of the framework contract. The exact needs of the Netherlands are unknown.
The country's armed forces currently have 18 Leopard 2A6 main battle tanks leased from the Bundeswehr. Until recently, Sweden's fleet of Leopard 2 tanks included a total of 120 Stridsvagn 122s (the Swedish version of the Leopard 2A5). Ten of these tanks were transferred to Ukraine.
In addition, in early October, Sweden commissioned Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) to upgrade 44 Stridsvagn 122s into the Stridsvagn 123A variant, which should bring them to the level of the Leopard 2 A7/A8 variant in terms of combat effectiveness. According to Der Monitor fur Defence und Sicherheitspolitik, the Swedish Armed Forces are also interested in the new Leopard 2A8.
Leopard 2A8 main battle tank. Photo from open sources
Leopard 2A8 is a modern main battle tank developed by the German company Krauss Maffei Wegmann.
The Leopard 2A8 is based on the Leopard 2A7 but received a number of improvements, such as the integration of the Trophy active protection system and an all-round situational awareness system.
Leopard 2A8 is also equipped with passive armor of the latest generation and protection of the bottom of the hull, which protects the crew in case of encountering mines and improvised explosive devices.