German Army has taken delivery
of
the First
Leopard 2A7
The tanks are a conversion of surplus Royal Netherlands Army Leopard 2A6 NLs, which were supplied by Canada as compensation for the Leopard 2A6M MBTs it had borrowed from Germany in 2007.
Initially Canada leased 20 Leo A6M's from Germany for operations in Afghanistan. Later, Canada bought 100 Leopard 2A4 MBTs from Netherlands and gave 20 of those tanks to Germany. KMW upgraded these to 2A7 standard and delivered them to German Army.
Canada has probably 40 Leo 2s in A6 standard and the rest will stay in A4 level.
The tanks have been fitted with features that optimise protection against asymmetrical and conventional threats while enhancing sustainment, in addition to sighting equipment for reconnaissance.
An auxiliary power unit has been installed to ensure they are fully operational even without a main running engine and to cool the turret and crew compartment.
Additional survivability enhancements include new a drivers hatch, all-electric gun-control equipment and a combat troops control and weapons deployment system to integrate the tanks into the control network.
Photo: JPW
The Leopard 2 A7s have also been modified to fire fuse-programmable high-explosive ammunition, which is effective against bunkers and fortified positions. It can also fire the latest-generation Rheinmetall 120mm armour piercing fin stabilised discarding sabot - tracer DM63 round, IHS Jane's reported.
Rheinmetall 120mm DM11 round has programmable time fuse and axial and radial fragments capability combined with long range. The round can be programmed to explode on impact, impact function with delay and air burst.
DM11 can penetrate thick walls and explode inside to achieve maximum lethality which is attained by the delay function. The round have also impact fuse capability to penetrate light to medium armored targets.
Sources:
- Army Technology