Ukrainian ingenuity fortifies Leopard 2 tanks for drone threats
Ukraine has received only a few Leopard 2 tanks in the A6 version, which is the latest delivered version and still forms the core of many NATO countries' armoured forces. However, the realities of the battlefield there required modifications. Here's what and why the Ukrainians did.
Currently, the biggest threat to tanks in Ukraine, apart from the few modern anti-tank guided missile launchers, are FPV drones controlled via fibre optics.
Unlike previous solutions, jammers do not work on these drones, and the only protection against them is to shoot them down before they reach their target or to reinforce the armour. Anti-drone defence for tanks is still new, and, in practice, currently, only the latest versions of the Israeli Trophy system provide protection. Thus, covering weaker elements with blocks of reactive armour, as the Ukrainians do, remains essential.
In the photos below, you can see that the blocks were placed on the hull sides and the upper and lower front plates of the Leopard 2A6. On the sides, you can see the popular Kontakt-1 blocks, and those on the front appear to be Ukrainian "Knife" blocks. They provide quite effective defence against, for example, single-warhead PG-7VL grenades, which are widely carried by drones.
Leopard 2A6 tank - until recently the pinnacle of European armoured thought
The Leopard 2A6 tank from the early 21st century continues the legacy of previous versions of this German machine. In the latest version, the armour has been significantly improved, and it is equipped with a longer Rheinmetall Rh-120 L/55 cannon. As a result, APFSDS-T shells can achieve higher muzzle velocity, which in turn increases their effectiveness in penetrating armoured targets and precision over long distances.
The Leopard 2A6 is also equipped with advanced optoelectronics. Modern thermal sights with higher resolution enable better target detection and elimination capabilities. Furthermore, a "hunter-killer" mode of operation for the crew has been introduced. Thanks to his own panoramic thermal sight, the tank commander can select targets without involving the gunner in the initial phase of target acquisition. This system allows for faster and more effective destruction of the enemy.
This change represents a significant facilitation in the context of quick targeting and neutralization of targets, offering operational advantages. The Leopard 2A6 was created as Europe's ultimate response to the most advanced Russian tanks from the late USSR, which are directly related to the T-90M and T-80BWM.
