Ukraine to bolster defences with Dutch and Danish Leopard tanks
Ukraine will soon receive an additional batch of Leopard 2A4 tanks. These machines were purchased by the Netherlands and Denmark for Kyiv in 2023. In recent months, the tanks have been refurbished by the German company Rheinmetall. They also underwent tests to ensure their effectiveness. The Leopard 2A4 tanks will be in the hands of Ukrainian soldiers before the end of summer. Let us remind you what these machines are.
"Ukraine urgently needs greater military support, given the intense battles raging on the battlefield. These tanks can play an important role for the Ukrainian army and help defend against Russian forces. The Netherlands and our allies and partners will support Ukraine for as long as necessary. This is crucial to protect Ukraine and keep Putin's aggression at bay," conveyed Ruben Brekelmans, the Dutch Minister of Defence. He added that the Leopard 2A4 tanks have significant firepower, provide good crew protection, and are fast.
Leopard 2A4 for Ukraine
The Leopard 2A4 is one of the tank models Ukraine has received from its allies. This version, an evolution of the Leopard 2 tank—the world's first third-generation main battle tank—was developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It also represents a high level of protection; therefore, it’s unsurprising that the machines are being upgraded before delivery to Ukraine. Additionally, the Ukrainians are enhancing the safety of the Leopard 2A4 tanks by adding reactive armour tiles Kontakt-1.
Despite their age, the Leopard 2A4 tanks are still considered among the best main battle tanks in the world. The machines have a length of about 10 metres and weigh around 55,000 kilograms. In practice, this means they are slightly heavier than the various T-72 tank variants in the Ukrainian army's inventory. On the other hand, they remain lighter than the Abrams M1A1 tanks, which weigh up to 65,000 kilograms. The high firepower in this variant is provided by a 120 mm Rheinmetall L/44 smoothbore gun. Additionally, the tank is armed with a coaxial 7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun and another 7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun.
It is worth noting that the Netherlands and Denmark are part of an international coalition supplying Ukraine with modern combat tanks. This coalition also includes Germany. The countries are acquiring both Leopard 1 and newer Leopard 2 tanks for Kyiv.
