For modern conflict the Leopard 2A4 is useless, buying Leopard 2A8 is necessary

For modern conflict the Leopard 2A4 is useless, buying Leopard 2A8 is necessary
Autor fotografie: Czech Army, Public domain|Popisek: Leopard 2A4
28 / 01 / 2025, 12:00

Loosely translated, the Leopards 2A4 that the Ministry of Defence has received or bought are suitable at most for familiarization with Western technology. Virtually everything needs to be replaced. It's the last of the Cold War tanks. The Leopard 2A8 is already responding to the conflict in Ukraine.

The war in Ukraine cannot be categorized as a modern conflict. The absence of air power, more cruise missiles and currently even good air defenses make the fighting a kind of quasi modern war, where alongside archaic systems there are completely new elements such as UAVs and high-tech portable anti-tank systems (ATGM). These are used against obsolete Leopards 2A4, 2A5, M1A1 Abrams or PT-91 Twardy. It cannot be said that these weapons are of poor quality, but they are by no means sufficient for the modern battlefield. Even the Russian modernized T-72B3, T-80BVM or T-90M cannot resist the UAVs and ATGMs. The absence of active protection systems (APS) and adequate close air defense is doing its part.

The Leopard 2A4 is an MBT from the 1980s

 

Among the tanks deployed are the Leopards 2A4. They are praised by defenders of the invaded country for their durability, precision fire and targeting systems. Understandably, these MBTs do not have APS and had to be fitted with nets, additional reactive armour or special anti-drone designs. Series production of Leopard 2 began in 1979. The production of Leopards 2A4 began in 1985 and it continued until 1992. According to WeaponSystem.net, 2,950 of all versions of Leopard 2A0 through 2A4 were produced. And almost all of them were upgraded to the latest Cold War standard. 2A4 already received armor with titanium and tungsten layers as well as a digital fire control system.

The weight of an empty Leopard 2A4 is 52 tons. It has a 120mm smoothbore L/44 Rheinmetall gun with a magazine of 42 rounds. The engine is an MB 873 Ka-501 and, according to the Army Guide, is rated at 1,000 horsepower. On the road it reaches a speed of 72 km/h and has a maximum range of 550 kilometres. The upgrade did not include reactive armour (ERA). The tank has a laser rangefinder, a digital fire computer and an EMES-15 infrared gunner's sight. It does not have battlefield surveillance systems and a link to the command and control system. Realistically, it should be seen that it is a 1980s machine. The fact that the Czech Army speaks of it in superlatives is a testament to the tragic state of the T-72M4 CZ and its absolute backwardness.

If we look realistically at the Leopard 2A4, it is hopelessly outdated. There is virtually no special ammunition made for the L/44 gun like APFSDS, which is basically a staple today. The barrel is short with less range and lower accuracy. Replacement is absolutely necessary. Hence the increase in weight. The Ukrainians put reactive armor on the 2A4, they have to because of the UAV. For a tank this big, you have to account for at least one and a half tons. The composite, even though it already has tungsten and titanium in it, is simply from the 1980s. The Leopard 2A8 has a new generation of active and passive all-round armour, according to Military View. Understandably tailored for today, with a focus against modern ATGMs and UAVs.

Leopard 2A4

Leopard 2A8 and APS Trophy

 

The key feature of the Leopard 2A8 is the Trophy active protection system. The Israeli manufacturer's APS weighs around one tonne, and after the events of last year with Hamas, an autonomous power supply is being installed to it. Extra weight. Leopard is already hopelessly outdated in terms of electronics. Whether it's communications systems or battlefield surveillance systems. Within NATO it will soon be commonplace to link up with other friendly systems. So there is an absolute need for modernisation here too. Another commonplace today is the installation of modern ATGM launchers like the Spike LR. Not for nothing does the weight of the Leopard 2A8 go towards seventy tons.

So we are getting to the point that the Leopard 2A4 engine will not sustain modernization even if the composite is not touched. The situation is that the cost of any upgrade to the Leopard 2A8 version, which is practically a necessity for the modern battlefield, will undoubtedly be close to the cost of a new tank. The Germans and Swiss have very cleverly disposed of tanks whose value Berlin will get back as part of the necessary reconstruction. And we will have 42 of them, according to the Czech Army, which is effectively one battalion. Machines that will no longer be usable within NATO. The fundamental question is whether it still makes sense to modernize the Leopard 2A4 at all; it will be more effective to buy a new vehicle.

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