Leopard 2

Leopard 2
File:Leopard 2 A7.JPG A Leopard 2A7 of the German Bundeswehr in 2015
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	West Germany
Service history
In service	1979–present
Used by	See Operators
Wars	War in Afghanistan Syrian Civil War Russo-Ukrainian War
Production history
Designer	Krauss-Maffei
Designed	1970s
Manufacturer	KraussMaffei Maschinenbau Kiel Rheinmetall Santa Bárbara Sistemas Hägglunds AB Contraves Hellenic Vehicle Industry
Unit cost	2A6 (secondhand): Template:EU€ (FY 2007) 2A7+: €13–15 million (FY 2019) 2A8: €29 million (2023)
Produced	1979–present
No. built	3600
Variants	See Variants
Specifications
Mass	2A6: 62.3 tonnes (68.7 short tons) 2A7V: 66.5 tonnes (73.3 short tons)
Length	2A6: 9.97 metres (32.7 feet) (gun forward)
Width	2A6: 3.75 m (12.3 ft)
Height	2A6: 3 m (9.8 ft)
Crew	4
Armor	2A6: 3rd generation composite; including high-hardness steel, tungsten and plastic filler with ceramic component.
Main armament	1 × Rh-120 L/44 120 mm or Rh-120 L/55 120 mm Rheinmetall Rh-120 (42 rounds)
Secondary armament	2 × 7.62 mm MG3A1 or 2 × 7.62 mm FN MAG (4,750 rounds)
Engine	MTU MB 873 Ka-501 liquid-cooled V12 twin-turbo diesel engine 1100 kW at 2600 rpm
Power/weight	2A6: 17.8 kW/t (24.2 PS/t) 2A7V: 16.6 kW/t (22.6 PS/t)
Transmission	Renk HSWL 354
Suspension	Torsion bar suspension
Fuel capacity	1,200 litres (264 imperial gallons; 317 US gallons)
Operational range	Road: 340 km (210 mi) Cross country: 220 km (140 mi) Average: 280 km (170 mi)
Maximum speed	70 km/h (43 mph)

The Leopard 2 is a third generation German main battle tank (MBT). Developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s, the tank entered service in 1979 and replaced the earlier Leopard 1 as the main battle tank of the West German army. Various iterations of the Leopard 2 continue to be operated by the armed forces of Germany, as well as 13 other European countries, and several non-European countries, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia, and Singapore. Some operating countries have licensed the Leopard 2 design for local production and domestic development.

There are two main development tranches of the Leopard 2. The first encompasses tanks produced up to the Leopard 2A4 standard and are characterised by their vertically faced turret armour. The second tranche, from Leopard 2A5 onwards, has an angled, arrow-shaped, turret appliqué armour, together with other improvements. The main armament of all Leopard 2 tanks is a smoothbore 120 mm cannon made by Rheinmetall. This is operated with a digital fire control system, laser rangefinder, and advanced night vision and sighting equipment. The tank is powered by a V12 twin-turbo diesel engine made by MTU Friedrichshafen.

In the 1990s, the Leopard 2 was used by the German Army on peacekeeping operations in Kosovo. In the 2000s, Dutch, Danish and Canadian forces deployed their Leopard 2 tanks in the War in Afghanistan as part of their contribution to the International Security Assistance Force. In the 2010s, Turkish Leopard 2 tanks saw action in Syria. In 2023, Ukrainian Leopard 2 tanks saw action in the Russo-Ukrainian War.