GIAT AMX-30/AMX-30 B2, France

Krauss - Maffei Leopard 2 to 2A5 Series Germany

The requirement for the Leopard 2 MET grew out of the defunct American-German MBT-70 programme which took place in the late sixties. Krauss Maffei were contracted in the early seventies to build a series of prototypes armed with both 105 mm and 120 mm smoothbore tank guns. In 1977 the version fitted with a 120 mm gun and an advanced torsion bar suspension was selected for production as the Leopard 2, Subsequently a series of variants has been built: Leopard 2 - 380 built with spaced composite armour construction of the turret and hull, 120 mm Rheinmetall smoothbore tank gun firing APFSDS-T and HEAT-MP-T projectiles with partially combustible cartridge cases.A total of 42 120 mm rounds is carried; the gunner uses a Krupp Atlas FLT-2/EMES-15 tank fire control system with full day/night capability. Leopard 2A1 - 750 built as for Leopard 2 but with integral thermal imaging sight. The Netherlands bought another 445 Leopard 2A1 modified to their own equipment standards under the designation Leopard 2NL. Leopard 2A2 - the original 380 Leopard 2s remanufacturered to the Leopard 2A1 standard. Leopard 2A3 - 300 built with minor internal/external changes. Leopard 2A4 - 520 built in two batches with minor detail changes, updated fire control system and fitting of a crew bay fire and explosion suppression system. Leopard 2A5 - 175 built in two batches, further detail changes. Pz 87 Leopard - Swiss Army version with first 35 built in Germany and delivered in 1987. The remaining 345 were built under license. Basically similar to German late production vehicles but to Swiss Army requirement fit standard (eg Swiss machine-guns, radios, etc). Leopard 2 Driver Training Vehicle - a specialised driver training variant has been built on the Leopard 2 chassis. This has the regular turret replaced by an observation type fitted with a dummy main gun. A total of 22 have been bought by the German Army and 20 by the Netherlands.

Specification

First prototype: 1972 First production: Germany 1978-1992 (2605 built); Switzerland 1987-1993 (total of 380 of which 345 license-built) Current user: Germany (see text), Netherlands (Leopard 2NL), Spain, Sweden, Switzerland (Pz 87 Leopard)

Crew: 4

Combat weight: 55 150 kg Ground pressure: 0.83 kg/cm2

Length, gun forwards: 9.67 m Width (with skirts): 3.7 m

Height (without AA gun): 2.79m

Ground clearance: 0.49 m

Max. road speed: 72 km/h Maximum range: 550 km Fording: unprepared 1 m;

Gradient: 60% Side slope: 30% Vertical obstacle: l . lm Leopard 2 MET

Trench: 3 m

Powerpack: MTU MB 837 ka-501 V-12 multi-fuel turbocharged diesel developing 1500 hp coupled to a Renk HSWL 354 automatic transmission Armament: (main) 1 x 120 mm gun (42 rounds); (coaxial) 1 x 7.62 mmMG; (anti-aircraft) 1 x 7.62 mmMG; (smoke dischargers) 2 x8