The Leguan 2 is a bridge layer tracked armored vehicle, or AVLB (Armoured Vehicle-Launched Bridge), designed and manufactured by the German Company KMW Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann, now KNDS-Germany. This engineer vehicle is based on the Leopard 2 Main Battle Tank (MBT) tracked chassis and the interoperability of the LEGUAN bridge laying system.
Country users: Denmark, Germany, Finland, Norway, Switzerland
Technical Data
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Bridge System
The LEGUAN 2 bridge layer can configure one bridge of 26 meters length or two of 14 meters length. The width of the obstacles to be overcome can be up to 24 or 12 meters, correspondingly. The automatic laying and loading system can lay a bridge horizontally in approximately 5 minutes (14-meter bridge) and 6 minutes (26-meter bridge) by a single person. The low silhouette of the vehicle remains preserved during this procedure. The loading of the bridge takes 8 minutes with the 26 meter bridge and only 7 with the 14 meter bridge.
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Design and protection
The Leguan 2 is based on the hull and chassis of the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Leopard 2 MBT (Main Battle Tank) with all main and subcomponents unchanged. The standard turret is removed and two 14 m bridges are mounted in the center of the chassis. The Leguan Leopard 2 has a crew of two including driver and commander/operator. The driver position is the same as the MBT Leopard 2, while the commander's station is left of the driver, replacing the hull front ammunition rack.. The Leguan Leopard 2 offers the same level of protection as the standard MBT Leopard 2.
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Mobility
The Leguan 2 uses the same powerpack and suspension as the Leopard 2 MBT. It is motorized with MTU MB 873 Ka-501 4-stroke, 12-cylinder diesel, exhaust turbocharged, liquid-cooled developing 1,496 hp at 2,600 rpm coupled to a transmission Renk HSWL 354 hydrokinetic planetary gear shift, four forward and two reverse gears. The suspension with torsion bars consists of each side of seven dual rubber-tired roadwheels with the idler at the front, the drive sprocket at the rear, and four track-support rollers. The Leguan Leopard 2 can run at a maximum road speed of 65 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 400 km.
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Combat Equipment
The Leguan 2 is capable of laying bridges day and night, thanks to a distance-measuring instrument, a thermal imaging device as well as a CCD camera. The operation of the system by one soldier alone, even with the hatch closed, is ensured by clearly laid out operating elements and a graphical user interface. An integrated program for a self-test guarantees the high reliability. In addition, the LEGUAN comes equipped with an emergency system for the laying and loading of the bridges. Apart from the mission-specific armor, the system therefore also has a cooling system and an appliance for the loading of a modern BMS-system. Central covering panels, railings and a device to measure the load are also available as retrofit-kits, extending the capability profile of the bridges so that they can be used for the reestablishment of supply routes or for use by civilian vehicles. The Leguan 2 is armed with a 7.62mm machine gun for its self-protection. Standard equipment on the Leguan Leopard 2 includes a collective NBC system, power pack preheating, crew compartment heater, a fire extinguishing system, electric bilge pumps and an escape hatch in the hull floor behind the driver. The front of the vehicle is also equipped with a dozer blade, which can be used to set the base for a bridge, clear out obstacles, and stabilize the vehicle during the bridge-laying process.
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