Berlin will not allow its allies to send German-made tanks to Ukraine in the face of an ongoing Russian invasion, or send their systems unless Washington sends its own American-made tanks, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.
“You can’t distinguish between direct exports (of German-made tanks) and exports to third countries,” a senior German official told the WSJ.
The German-made Leopard, a powerful battle tank that Kyiv needs to advance on Moscow, could have a “significant” impact.
But Ukrainian troops will need to be quickly trained in the use of sometimes complex equipment, and it will also need to be maintained.
While European allies sent hundreds of upgraded Soviet tanks to Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion, Kyiv has been pleading for better Western weaponry to bolster Moscow’s resistance.
The German-made Leopard 2 is considered one of the most efficient models in the world and is widely used in Europe, which means that spare parts and ammunition can be easily found.
Worldwide recognized all-rounder
First released in the late 1970s to replace the American M48 Patton and the later Leopard 1, the Leopard 2 is renowned for its firepower, mobility and rugged armor.
As the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote, the Leopard 2 is “something like the (Volkswagen) Golf of the German tank industry: an all-rounder with worldwide recognition.”
Approximately 3,500 60-ton battle tanks were produced, designed by the German weapons manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).
They are armed with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon, can engage the enemy on the move, and can move at speeds of up to 70 kilometers (44 miles) per hour with a range of 450 km.
According to the manufacturer, the tanks provide “comprehensive protection” for troops against threats such as mines, anti-tank fire and improvised explosive devices.
They are equipped with technology that allows their crew of four to detect and target enemies at long range.
The last four models produced, 2A4 to 2A7, are still in use.
How fast could they arrive?
Reluctance to send heavy tanks to Ukraine began to ease this month when Poland said it was ready to send 14 Leopard 2 tanks to Kyiv as part of an international coalition. Finland stated that it had no objection to the supplies.
German media reports that several countries are ready to join international efforts to transfer equipment to Ukraine.
According to experts, the best approach would be the participation of all countries willing to contribute to the dispatch of 2A4 tanks.
“The same model is very important for training and logistics,” General Bruno Kasdorf, a former German army inspector, told the RND media group.
However, it is unclear how quickly they will arrive.
German weapons manufacturer Rheinmetall, which supplies the gun and electronics for the Leopard 2 and also has dozens of older models, has warned it will not be able to ship its tanks to Ukraine until 2024 due to the need to modernize and repair them.
Officials also warn that once the tanks arrive, Ukrainian troops will have to quickly be trained to use the equipment, which is far more sophisticated than the Soviet-era tanks they are used to.
It will also be an attempt to master other new equipment that is due to arrive in Ukraine, including the recently promised French AMX-10 RC light tanks, German Marder infantry vehicles and Bradley fighting vehicles.
However, experts are convinced that the Leopards can make a difference.
If Kyiv receives about 100 of them, the effect will be “significant,” according to the British think tank International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS).
Equipped with the Leopard 2, “an army can break through enemy lines and end a long period of trench warfare,” Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger told leading German tabloid Bild.
“With the Leopard, soldiers can advance tens of kilometers at a time.”
