Development of the Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank (MBT) began in 1970. It was just a couple of years after a previous Leopard 1 entered service. In those days a clash between NATO and the Warsaw Pact was possible and the West German army needed a well protected tank, which would be superior to the models introduced in the Eastern Block. First prototypes of the Leopard 2 were completed in 1972. In 1977 Bundeswehr initially ordered 1 800 of these main battle tanks to supplement and replace the Leopard 1. A number of advanced technologies and design solutions of the Leopard 2 were taken over from the joint German-American MBT-70 program. The MBT-70 was a revolutionary design, however due to cost overruns, technical problems and different requirements West Germany withdrew from the program in 1969. However available advanced technologies were reused on the Leopard 2 and American M1 Abrams tanks. Fire control system, armament, ammunition, transmission and tracks of the Leopard 2 are similar to those of the US M1 Abrams main battle tank in order to simplify maintenance.
This MBT has a welded hull and turret. Composite armor of the Leopard 2 tank is similar to British Chobham. It offers good protection against armor-piercing rounds and anti-tank guided weapons. Ready-to use ammunition is stowed in a separate compartment in the turret bustle with blow-out panels. This improved survivability of the crew. The tank is fitted with NBC protection system and automatic fire suppression systems.
The Leopard 2 main battle tank is armed with a fully-stabilized Rheinmetall RH-M-120 120 mm smoothbore gun. Vehicle carries 42 rounds for the main gun. A total of 15 ready-to-use rounds are stored in the turret bustle, while the rest are store in front of the hull by the driver. The Leopard 2 normally uses two main types of ammunition - the APFSDS-T armor-piercing rounds and HEAT-MP-T multi-purpose rounds. The APFSDS-T round penetrates around 450 mm of rolled homogenous armor equivalency at 2 000 m range. Since its introduction some generations of APFSDS-T rounds were developed and used by the German army. Germans estimated that their Leopard 2 tank could penetrate frontal armor of the Soviet T-72 tank at a range of 2 000 meters and frontal armor of the T-62 tank at a range of over 4 000 meters. The HEAT-MP-T round is effective against both soft and hard targets. The gun of the Leopard 2 tank proved to be very accurate.
The Leopard-2 has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, loader and driver. One interesting feature about this main battle tank, that it has an escape hatch in the floor behind the driver.This main battle tank has a crew of four, including commander, gunner, loader and driver
Vehicle is powered by MB-837 Ka501 turbocharged diesel engine, developing 1 500 horsepower. The Leopard 2 can be fitted with a deep wading kit. After preparation it can ford water obstacles up to 4 m deep.
Variants:
Leopard 2A1, has improved armor protection. A number of components were improved in order to make them more reliable. Leopard 2A2, fitted with improved sights.
Leopard 2A3, fitted with improved communications equipment and improved parking brake.
Leopard 2A4, fitted with new digital fire control system and improved turret with more armor. It was the most widespread version of this tank. Its production commenced in 1985 and ceased in 1992.
Leopard 2A5 is a radically improved version. It was introduced in 1990. By 1998 a total of 225 German Army Leopard 2 main battle tanks were upgraded to the 2A5 standard. At that time the Leopard 2A5 was referred as the best main battle tank in the world.
Leopard 2A6 is another radically improved version with improved armor protection and a longer 120 mm/L55 gun. It has longer range and is more accurate than the Leopard 2A5. This tank is in service with Germany, Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.
Leopard 2A7 a proposed upgrade package for existing MBTs, which includes additional armor, additional cameras for long-range surveillance, advanced command and control equipment and some other improvements.
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