Spain Completes Repair of Ten Leopard 2A4 Tanks for Ukraine.

Santa Bárbara Sistemas has completed the repair of ten Leopard 2A4 tanks that Spain will deliver to Ukraine as part of the aid committed to counter the Russian invasion. Nine more tanks to complete the second batch of 19 Leopard 2A4 tanks promised to Ukraine will be ready by September.
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The Leopard 2A4 is a main battle tank renowned for its firepower, advanced protection, and overall performance. (Picture source: Spanish MoD)

The company prepared these tanks, part of the second batch donated by Spain, at its facilities in Alcalá de Guadaíra, Seville. Santa Bárbara Sistemas had previously repaired the first batch of ten units at the same center last year, which were sent to Ukraine in two phases, in April and September.

This newly prepared group of ten tanks is part of the 19 Leopard 2A4 tanks promised by the Spanish government in March this year. The company completed the work in a record time of three months, and since the end of June, the ten Leopard tanks have been ready for transfer.

Defense Minister Margarita Robles informed the Ukraine Contact Group that the first tanks would be ready by the end of June, thus meeting the deadlines. Although the Ministry of Defense has not yet specified the exact date of shipment to Ukraine, it is expected to be in the coming days.

Like the first batch of ten delivered last year, these tanks have also undergone a series of field tests to certify the proper functioning of their equipment and systems.

The Leopard tanks donated in 2024 and this second batch came from the Army barracks in Casetas (Zaragoza), where they had been stored out of service since 2012. Unlike the first batch, these tanks were in worse condition, necessitating a more extensive maintenance plan.

The other nine Leopard 2A4 tanks from the second batch are already at the Alcalá de Guadaíra factory. The restoration work is expected to be completed by September, according to El Heraldo.

The Leopard 2A4 is a main battle tank renowned for its firepower, advanced protection, and overall performance. It is armed with a 120 mm L55 smoothbore gun, a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun, and an anti-aircraft 7.62 mm machine gun mounted on the loader's hatch. In terms of protection, the Leopard 2A4 features standard-spaced multilayer armor, enhanced with improved protection at the front of the turret. The interior of the turret is fitted with spall liners, which increases crew safety in the event of armor penetration.

Used by many countries, including Austria, Canada, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine, this tank is appreciated for its robustness and versatility on the battlefield. Weighing 62,000 kg in combat conditions, it remains remarkably mobile with a maximum road speed of 72 km/h and a range of 500 km, allowing for extended operations without frequent refueling.

Designed in Germany, the Leopard 2A4 incorporates advanced technologies such as infrared night vision and an NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protection system, enhancing its operational capabilities in various combat conditions. The tank is operated by a crew of four, and its imposing dimensions, with a length of 7.70 m, a width of 3.70 m, and a height of 3.00 m, give it a formidable presence on the field while offering optimal protection and firepower.

Additionally, Santa Bárbara Sistemas has proposed to the Spanish government to produce up to fifty Ascod-tracked armored vehicles for Ukraine at its Trubia factory in Asturias within a year. This proposal was presented after a meeting at La Moncloa between President Pedro Sánchez and representatives of the Spanish defense industry in mid-March.