Rheinmetall Completes Refurbishment of Two Leopard 2A4 Tanks for Ukraine in Nine-Month.

The Dutch Ministry of Defense has confirmed that Rheinmetall, a leading German defense firm, has completed the extensive refurbishment of two Leopard 2A4 tanks destined for Ukraine in nine months. These tanks are part of a larger commitment of 14, announced in April 2023 by the Netherlands and Denmark.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link

A Leopard 2A4 tank assigned to the Polish Army's 1st Tank Battalion during exercise Allied Spirit 22 (Picture source DVIDS)

These Leopard 2A4 tanks, sourced externally rather than from the national reserves of the involved countries, underwent significant refurbishments. Contrary to initial expectations, the overhaul process has been lengthy, taking nine months for just two tanks. According to few reports that this protracted refurbishment period, handled by Rheinmetall, sheds light on the current output capacity of Germany's defense industry. This is in stark contrast to the 1980s, when up to 300 Leopard 2A4s were produced each year.

Photos accompanying the announcement show the tanks post-overhaul, indicating major repairs but no further modernization. This sets a precedent for the refurbishment timeline of the remaining 12 tanks, which, according to the Dutch Ministry, will be completed in the upcoming months.

Although the exact commencement date of Rheinmetall's work on these tanks is not clearly stated, it likely followed closely after the government's announcement. Initial delivery expectations set for early 2024 now face delays. This reflects the capabilities of the European defense industry within the NATO framework.

In a related development, Lithuania is actively involved in repairing Leopard tanks for Ukraine, focusing on those damaged in combat. These repairs are being carried out by Lithuania Defense Services, a joint venture formed in 2022 by Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. In December, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry announced the completion of repairs on Leopard 2A4 tanks and is preparing to redeploy these armored vehicles to the frontline.

The Leopard 2A4, a German-made main battle tank developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, is the successor to the Leopard 1 and forms the foundation of the modern Leopard family. Chosen by the German Army in 1977, Krauss-Maffei was tasked with the series production of the Leopard 2, with an order of 1,800 MBTs - 990 by Krauss-Maffei and 810 by Rheinmetall. The first preproduction unit was delivered in late 1978, and the inaugural production model was handed over in Munich in October 1979. Production escalated to 300 tanks annually by 1982.

This tank is utilized by several countries including Austria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, Spain, and Turkey, totaling over 3,200 vehicles. In a significant move, the Czech Republic confirmed on May 20, 2002, the receipt of Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany in exchange for T-72 MBTs destined for Ukraine. The Czech Ministry of Defence, on October 11, 2022, formalized the acquisition of 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks and a Büffel recovery vehicle, underlining its military enhancement efforts.

This announcement comes after several countries have already transferred Leopard 2A4 to Ukraine. Spain, on June 5, 2022, announced the transfer of 40 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine. Rheinmetall, a German firm, declared on November 15, 2022, the provision of these tanks to Slovakia, with the Slovak Ministry of Defense receiving the first Leopard 2A4 on December 19, 2022. Canada announced on January 26, 2023, the dispatch of four Leopard 2A4 tanks from its arsenal to Ukraine, followed by Spain's February 3, 2023, announcement to send up to six more tanks. Canada delivered its first Leopard 2A4 tank to Ukraine on the same day. Poland's donation of the initial four Leopard 2A4 tanks reached Ukraine on February 24, 2023. "Der Spiegel" reported on March 4, 2023, Rheinmetall's readiness to supply Ukraine with 50 Leopard 2A4 tanks. Subsequently, on March 7, 2023, Poland committed 10 additional tanks, and on April 12, 2023, Norway's Ministry of Defense announced the delivery of eight Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine.

Defense News January 2024