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
-
Company formed to lead Franco-German main battle tank replacement
Launched at the initiative of the French and German governments, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project aims to replace the German Leopard 2 and French Leclerc main battle tanks with a multi-platform ground combat system by 2040.
-
British Army defeats swarm with Thales radio frequency anti-drone system
Developed by a Thales UK-led industry consortium, the demonstrator has been designed to explore the potential of radiofrequency weapons for the UK Armed Forces and is being trialled by the British Army.
-
US approves $825 million sale of Stinger Block I missiles to Morocco
The 600-missiles will be used to expand the Moroccan armed forces’ short range air defence capabilities.