German army presents the latest Leopard 2A7V tank, which demonstrates revolutionary military technology
First unveiled by German defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), now KNDS, at the Eurosatory defense exhibition in Paris in 2016, the Leopard 2A7V demonstrates the continuous evolution of Germany’s flagship tank. This development is a response to the planned modernization of the previous Leopard 2A6 and is in line with the Bundeswehr’s upcoming procurement projects announced in 2017-2018.
The Leopard 2A7V has a traditional layout for modern armored personnel carriers: the driver is located in the front right, the turret in the middle, and the powerplant in the rear. This modern combat vehicle is operated by a crew of four – a driver, a commander, a gunner and a loader.
The Leopard 2A7V is one of the most protected modern tanks, featuring state-of-the-art modular composite armor mounted on the front sheet and turret. This advanced armor design provides 360-degree protection for the crew against a variety of threats, including anti-tank missiles, mines, improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) fire.
Equipped with a 120mm Rheinmetall L/55 smoothbore tank gun, the Leopard 2A7V is capable of firing 120mm Rheinmetall DM53 armor-piercing finned stabilized (APFSDS-T) ammunition, which has a depleted uranium warhead. This weapon system provides high-precision engagement of targets at long range, allowing the tank to hit targets at a distance of up to 5,000 meters.
In addition, this version of the tank can fire new DM11 high-explosive fragmentation munitions (HE FRAG-T) with an adaptive programmable fuze designed to destroy unarmored and lightly armored targets, overcome obstacles and neutralize targets behind cover.
The Leopard 2A7V is also equipped with a new ATTICA-GL thermal imager for the gunner and an ATTICA-Z thermal imager for the commander, both manufactured by Hensoldt. These thermal imagers significantly increase the range of detection, recognition and identification compared to previous models, allowing the crew to detect targets beyond the effective range of the main gun.
To improve night driving, the tank is equipped with a Hensoldt SPECTUS II or III optical system on the hull’s nose, which includes a thermal imaging system combined with an image intensifier. This advanced technology provides increased clarity and contrast for the driver. In addition, the enhanced rear view camera is equipped with a thermal imager.
The Leopard 2A7V is equipped with an MB 873 diesel engine that can run on various types of fuel. It also boasts a modified final drive that can withstand the increased combat weight, sacrificing some top speed for better acceleration. Although the top speed has been slightly reduced to 63 km/h, the acceleration characteristics have been significantly improved compared to the heavier previous models, such as the Leopard 2A6M and 2A7 tanks. The transmission has also been reinforced to withstand the extra weight without compromising on service life.
With the advent of the Leopard 2A7V, the Bundeswehr has significantly enhanced its armored warfare capabilities. The tank’s advanced protection, firepower and visualization systems make it a truly formidable addition to the German arsenal.
