The tanks to Ukraine to turn the war against Russia. Germany and the United States are preparing to send Leopard 2 and Abrams tanks to Kiev, with a qualitative leap in the supply of weapons to the country facing the Russian invasion.
The German Leopard 2 and the American M1 Abrams are both ‘main battle tanks’ (MBT). Quite similar, however, they have some differences, in addition to the fact that the Leopards are already in Europe and therefore closer to the theater of war, where it will also be easier to send spare parts. Developed jointly during the Cold War, the two tank types are similar in armored protection, maneuverability and firepower, as well as being “exceptionally well-balanced,” notes Ralf Raths, director of the tank museum in Muenster.
One of the main differences, important from a logistical point of view, lies in consumption. The Leopard 2s consume 530 liters of diesel per 100km and have a 1500hp diesel engine. The M1 Abrams is equipped with a 1500 hp multifuel turbine engine and consumes 700 liters of fuel per 100 km. Protagonist of the war in the desert in Iraq, the American tank is heavier (74 tons) than the German (64), and both are equipped with a 120mm cannon. The Abrams has a speed of 68 km/h, slightly higher than the Leopard (63 km/h).
A factor to consider is also the number of tanks. Germany has just over 300 Leopard 2s: 225 of the A5/A6 series and 59 of the A7/A7V series, another 55 Leopard 2 A4s are in depots. The Bundeswehr is expecting to receive 104 Leopard 2 A7Vs over the next three years. The old tanks are expected to be decommissioned or given to other countries, including the A4 model or the Leopard 1. According to data cited by Europa Today, German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann has built over 3500 Leopards since the start of production in 1978. The tank, capable of hitting targets at a distance of 5 km, is owned by various NATO countries which could supply them to Kiev once the OK from Berlin has been obtained.
According to Military Balance, the report of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the United States has over 6,000 Abrams tanks, including 650 of the M1A1 type and two thousand M1A2s in various versions, as well as a stock of 3,450 tanks of both models.
#Ukraine #tanks #Leopard #Abrams #war