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Leopard ‘Guzzles’ A Beer? Why Ukraine Desperately Wants German Leopard 2 Tanks That ‘Shot To Fame’ With A Beer Video

Ukrainian armed forces could soon get their hands on the German-made Leopard 2 tanks, as the German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock said on January 22 that her government would not stand in the way if Poland sent its Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine.

“For the moment, the question has not been asked, but if we were asked, we would not stand in the way,” Annalena told France’s LCI TV when asked about her government’s response to any such Polish decision.

However, a German government spokesperson said the next day that Berlin had still not received any requests to authorize the re-export of the tanks.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Poland would ask Germany for permission to re-export Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, but even without it, Warsaw could send them as part of a coalition of countries.

“We will ask for such permission, but this is an issue of secondary importance. Even if we did not get this approval … we would still transfer our tanks together with others to Ukraine”, Morawiecki told reporters.

“The condition for us is to build at least a small coalition of countries.”




Tank Leopard 2A7 NATO Days 2022.jpg
Leopard 2A7 tank (KMW) at NATO Days 2022. NATO Days is the biggest security show in Europe, traditionally held annually at Ostrava Leos Janacek Airport. (Wikipedia)

Konrad Muzyka, an independent defense analyst, notes that a potential consequence of sending tanks to Ukraine without Berlin’s approval could be Germany refusing to supply spare parts.

“That is why it is so important from Warsaw’s perspective not to step out of line and create a larger coalition. Because, of course, the political problem for Germany, if they wanted to cut off the supply of spare parts, would be much bigger if there was a coalition,” Myzyka said.

Since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian officials have been lobbying the Western governments to supply main battle tanks, specifically the German government, to supply or allow nations that have acquired Leopard 2s from Germany to supply them to Kyiv to strengthen Ukraine’s ground-based offensive capabilities.

Initially designed in the 1970s, the German-made Leopard 2 is one of the world’s most well-reputed main battle tanks (MBTs), perhaps second only to the American M1 Abrams tank, according to some experts.

The Roaring Leopard 2 Tank

Developmental work on the Leopard 2 began just a couple of years after the induction of the previous Leopard 1, which was also a very successful design. It served as the MBT in over a dozen countries worldwide, with West Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands being the largest operators until they were retired.

Developed in years when high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warheads were thought to have limited the value of conventional heavy armor, the Leopard 1’s design prioritized effective firepower and mobility instead of heavy protection.




A German Army Leopard-2A5 during a training exercise

Due to moderate armor, the Leopard 1 had a high power-to-weight ratio. This, coupled with a modern suspension and drivetrain, provided the Leopard superior mobility and cross-country performance compared to most other MBTs of the time, only rivaled by the French AMX-30 and Swedish Strv 103.

However, the West German Army still felt the requirement of a well-protected tank, which would be superior to the models used by the Soviet Union. This resulted in the start of the joint German-American MBT-70 program in 1963.

While the MBT-70 was a revolutionary design featuring several advanced technologies, by 1967, it became doubtful whether the MBT-70 would enter service at any time in the foreseeable future because of cost overruns, technical problems, and differences in requirements.

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