Spain negotiates donation to Ukraine of 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks and 20 M113 APCs.

According to information published by the Spanish defense website "InfoDefensa" on July 12, 2022, the Spanish Ministry of Defense María Margarita Robles Fernández negotiates a possible donation to Ukraine of 10 Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tank (MBT) and 20 M113 tracked APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles. All these combat vehicles will come from the Spanish military inventory.
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Spanish Army Leopard 2A4 main battle tank. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Citing information from the "InfoDefensa" website, after receiving these Leopard 2A4 tanks and M113 tracked armored vehicles, the Ukrainian government is ready to pay for the upgrade and modernization with funds from the European Union "European Fund of Peace".

Ukraine continues to request modern military equipment from European countries to strengthen its fight against Russian forces and increase its military capabilities.

Citing information published by the Spanish newspaper "El Pais" on June 5, 2022, Spain would have approved the delivery 40 Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) and Aspide air defense missile systems.

Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Spain has already delivered arms and ammunition including 1,370 Instalaza C-90 anti-tank grenade launchers, an unspecified number of light machine guns and 700,000 bullets as well as 20 tons of humanitarian aid worth more than €150,000 and 54 pallets (83 cubic meters) of medicines and medical supplies. To date, Spain has not yet delivered heavy combat equipment to Ukraine, and no combat vehicles.

According to the military balance 2021, Spain has a total of 327 MBTs including 108 German Leopard 2A4 and 218 Leopard 2E. The 108 Leopard 2A4s are second-hand tanks bought by Spain from Germany in 1985. Citing a Spanish military source, the Spanish armed forces would have 53 Leopard 2A4 MBTs (Main Battle Tanks) that are no longer in active service.

The Leopard 2A4 tank is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore gun which has been developed by Rheinmetall and fires two types of ammunition, APFSDS-T, and HEAT-MP-T. A 7.62mm coaxial machine gun is mounted to the left side of the main armament and one 7.62mm machine gun to the hatch of the loader. Two banks of four 76mm smoke grenade dischargers are mounted to each side of the turret.

The layout of the Leopard 2A4 is conventional for a modern main battle tank with the drive position at the front, the turret in the middle, and the powerpack at the rear. It has a crew of four including a driver, commander, gunner, and loader. The Leopard 2A4 is fitted with a new digital fire control system and an improved turret with more armor.

The Leopard 2A4 is motorized with an MTU MB 873 diesel engine, which provides 1,103 kW of engine output. It can run at a maximum road speed of 72 km with a maximum cruising range of 550 km.