The Ukrainian government has awarded Rheinmetall a contract for Leopard 1 systems, including 25 main battle tanks Leopard 1A5, five armoured recovery vehicles (Bergepanzer 2) and two driver training tanks. The order, financed by Germany and worth a figure in the upper-two-digit million-euro range, also includes training, logistics, spare parts, maintenance and other support services.
Delivery is due to take place in 2024. The Leopard 1 systems are currently being overhauled and readied for use at Rheinmetall’s plants in Unterlüß and Kassel.
Rheinmetall thus continues to support Ukraine with a steady flow of tactical vehicles. The Group has previously been tasked with supplying Ukraine with a total of eighty Marder infantry fighting vehicles. Most of these are already in-country, where they have proved their mettle in ongoing operations.
Rheinmetall is ready to supply a further twenty Marder IFVs as soon as it receives an order to this effect. In late 2023 and early 2024, Ukraine will also be taking delivery of five Caracal airmobile-capable vehicles. On behalf of the Dutch and Danish governments, moreover, next year the Group will be supplying Ukraine with fourteen Leopard 2A4 tanks. In addition to vehicles, Rheinmetall is aiding the Ukrainian armed forces with ammunition, drones, medical facilities, etc.
A tank is a tank is a tank. Even if their armor is less and less useful in a drone/kinetic environment that’s evolving, it’s still a big gun that can move with surprising speed on the battlefield, and that is hard to replace. Even these paper thin Leo 1s could still give a non-monkey model T-72 a real 1st round kill problem in ambush. Send more.
Conversely, the T-72 can do the same to the Leo-1. Nevermind that they likely will never get the chance as they’ll get destroyed by Russian artillery, helicopters, or guided missiles like most of the first batch.
Yes they should send more. Germany should quit being cowards and fight their own war instead of trying to pressure the US into doing it for them.
We need to keep this war going.
Who is “we” ?
The US Army. You really didn’t pay attention to that conflict, did you? Best to just keep your lack of focus to yourself from here on out.