In 2014, the Bundeswehr received the first Leopard 2A7 tank. This model was the next stage in the modernization of the combat vehicle.
Manufacturer
At the end of the 70s of the last century, the Krauss-Maffei AG concern began serial delivery of the new Leopard 2 tank. Its creation was carried out in close collaboration with experienced German arms manufacturers. Wegmann designed the tower. Porsche designed the chassis and transmission. The gun was engaged in Rheinmetall. AEG Telefunken was responsible for the implementation of the weapons control, surveillance and communications systems. They managed to accumulate the rich experience in the design of heavy combat vehicles gained during the Second World War. The classical traditions of the German school of tank building were continued.
general characteristics
The car can be called more conservative than revolutionary. Creating a tank is the art of compromise between mutually exclusive requirements. The Germans have chosen convenience and reliability of operation as a priority. Perhaps in their memory endless problems firmly remained, which were led by haste with the arming of the Tigers and Panthers. "Leopard 2" has a classic layout with a rotating tower. The car turned out to be very reliable in operation, with excellent maintainability. But most importantly, despite the conservatism of performance, over the years a significant modernization potential has been revealed, embedded in this tank. The new modification continued its disclosure, and until it is felt that it is exhausted. Many consider this the main battle tank of the Bundeswehr, not only the best western, but also the most successful tank of our time. "Leopard 2A7" is designed to support and strengthen this belief.
Engine and chassis
Unlike American and Soviet designers, Krauss-Maffei engineers did not experiment with the propulsion system. On the "Leopard 2" installed diesel production Mercedes-Benz. Subsequent operating experience of the Abrams and T-80 with a gas turbine engine revealed its shortcomings, which confirmed the correct choice of German tank builders. Reliability, maintainability, ease of replacement of a turbodiesel are highly appreciated by the troops. It allows you to disperse the tank "Leopard 2A7", like previous modifications, up to seventy kilometers per hour. Together with a hydromechanical transmission and an automatic transmission, this gives the car excellent dynamic characteristics.
Armament
Like its predecessors, the Leopard 2A7 tank is armed with a 120mm Rheinmetall gun. During the modernization of the tank, the barrel length changed, which on this modification is fifty-five calibers. Smoothbore gun allows the use of different types of ammunition. For the defeat of armored targets, the main view is a caliber projectile. Ammunition underwent modernization along with the weapon, which received a longer striking element with perfect aerodynamics. This led to an increase in the length of the shot and a change in the breech of the gun. The speed of the projectile increased due to a more powerful charge and the duration of acceleration in the barrel of an elongated gun. The L55 gun is considered the most advanced artillery system used in modern tanks for armor penetration and accuracy.
In addition to the sub-caliber ammunition, the tank can use the cumulative and high-explosive fragmentation shells included in its ammunition. "Leopard" does not have in its arsenal of guided missiles launched from a cannon, like Russian tanks, and it does not have an automatic loading system for guns. It is hard to say whether these shortcomings devalue the perfect artillery weapons of a German tank . The machine also has two MG-3 machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber. It was expected that the seventh modification would be equipped with a remotely controlled tower machine gun, but the tanks received tanks with a traditional machine gun point.
Reservation
The German tank design school has always been distinguished by increased attention to the protection of vehicles and crew. Since the creation of the tank has always been an art of compromise, the gain in the reservation turned into a loss in weight, size and dynamics. The Leopard 2A7 tank, whose photo aroused interest in military circles, made it possible to realize the modernization potential inherent in the initial concept. In the new appearance of the car, the results of strengthening the reservation of multi-layer combined armor are clearly distinguishable. The angles of inclination of the armor plates are as close to sharp as possible. The total thickness of the armor in the most vulnerable projections exceeded one meter.
The tank is equipped with on-board screens, which can be amplified by dynamic protection units. In addition to external reservations, the interior of the tank is divided by partitions made of armored steel. The engine compartment is divided with the fighting compartment, and the ammunition shell in the rear of the turret has an armored wall that cuts it off from the inhabited compartment. In the stern of the tower, knock-down panels are arranged that divert the energy of the explosion of ammunition to the outside. Together with the partitioning of protection, this creates a fairly high level of crew safety.
Equipment
It is difficult to overestimate the combat equipment of a modern tank with information on tactical conditions, navigation, communications, and firing. Today, electronic and optical equipment constitutes the main line of progress in military technology. This was reflected in the fact that the characteristics of the Leopard 2A7 tank significantly differ from the level of the first models. The perfect gun stabilization system significantly improved accuracy and accuracy of fire, allowing you to hit the target from the first shot. Crew members are equipped with more advanced optical instruments. The tank has several thermal imagers with an increased resolution matrix, which strengthened its position in low visibility conditions. The sights of the tank commander and gunner are included in a single combat control system. It also controls a gun equipped with a laser rangefinder and an electronic ballistic computer, taking into account factors of wear, barrel deformation and environmental conditions. The crew has a navigation and communication system that allows you to include the tank in the tactics of network-centric battle.
Comparison with the T-90 tank
Comparison of the characteristics of tanks of potential opponents has always been the subject of debate, reaching epic emotional intensity. Such disputes are both exciting and meaningless. A tank is a combat complex used in the context of other weapons systems and in accordance with the concept of a particular army. Comparing and placing the Leopard-2A7 tank against the T-90, we can conclude that the Russian car is more perfect. After all, the “Leopard” does not have an automatic loader, there are no long-range guided missiles. It is much heavier and more massive, which affects the dynamics and a larger silhouette of the case. Despite the excellent reservation, he does not have mounted dynamic protection units. The number of crew members is greater than in the Russian tank. This is all true, but only on one side. From another point of view, the Leopard 2A7 against the T-90 has clear advantages. A more powerful elongated projectile and the ability to hit the target from the first shot even in motion makes the tank a very dangerous enemy. The commander’s excellent knowledge of the tactical situation, provided with the perfect equipment, allows a larger and heavier tank to avoid threatening situations and achieve tactical superiority. It is worth recognizing that both vehicles are the pinnacles of two tank-building schools, which embodied in them all their own intellectual and technological potential.
Application history
Despite its advantages, the family of tanks, which includes the Leopard 2A7, can be called the most non-combatant tanks. The combat use was limited to operations in Afghanistan, in which they were not opposed by any enemy tanks. However, this main battle tank forms the basis of the armored forces of Germany, Holland, Denmark and other European countries. With the collapse of the Soviet military-political bloc, it replaces Soviet-made cars in the states that joined the NATO bloc.