Rheinmetall to upgrade Polish Leopard 2 tanks
Rheinmetall has been awarded a contract by Poland to upgrade its 128 Leopard 2 main battle tanks (MBTs), it announced on 22 February. The order is worth about $244 million.
As part of the modernisation, 128 Leopard 2 A4 MBTs will be upgraded to the Leopard 2 PL standard. Serving as a strategic partner, Rheinmetall will work in cooperation with Poland-based Bumar-Łabędy and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa and supply key capabilities, including electronics and weapon technology.
The contract will also see the transfer of technology and knowledge to Polish industry. Poland is now the third Leopard MBT user nation after Canada and Indonesia to select Rheinmetall as technology partner for a modernisation programme.
The Leopard 2A4 is the MBT for several NATO countries. It has an L44 120-mm smooth bore gun; a C6 7.62mm coaxial, medium machine gun; and 76mm multi-barrel grenade dischargers (16 tubes). The tank is 9.67m long, 3.70m wide and 2.90m high. It has an on-road range of 340km and off-road range of 220km. it is powered by an F-54 Diesel DF-2 engine, which has a capacity of 1,160 litres.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![IDEX 2025: Rafael increases missile and drone defence capability as threats and demands rise]()
IDEX 2025: Rafael increases missile and drone defence capability as threats and demands rise
Rafael president and CEO Yoav Tourgeman, speaking to Shephard at IDEX 2025, has outlined how the company is pushing through air defence programmes in the face of attacks on Israel from rockets, missiles and drones on multiple fronts.
-
![IDEX 2025: Aselsan introduces new air-burst round with C-UAS mission in mind]()
IDEX 2025: Aselsan introduces new air-burst round with C-UAS mission in mind
Aselsan revealed at IDEX 2025 that it has been developing a 25mm calibre air-bursting munition known as ATOM 25.
-
![IDEX 2025: Calidus 8×8 Light Infantry Fighting Vehicle enters production]()
IDEX 2025: Calidus 8×8 Light Infantry Fighting Vehicle enters production
The new Light Infantry Fighting Vehicle (LIFV) builds on Calidus’s experience with its Wahash (8×8) vehicle.
