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| Germany Orders 18 New Leopard 2 Tanks To Replace Units Sent To Ukraine |
Berlin - The German military has ordered 18 new Leopard 2 tanks to replace the vehicles delivered to Ukraine earlier this year. This was disclosed by a leading defense company.
Kraus-Maffei Wegmann said a contract for the Leopard 2A8 tank had been signed with the federal office for military equipment. Although it did not provide financial details, the German parliament's budget committee on Wednesday (24/5/2023) approved funding of around €525 million (USD563 million).
The company also said deliveries of the new tank are scheduled to begin in 2025, and the deal includes an option for another 105 Leopard 2A8 tanks.
Kraus-Maffei Wegmann will also produce 12 new self-propelled howitzers for the German military as part of options agreed in March, the company said. Germany's defense minister has been pushing for the new tanks to be procured as soon as possible, after the government agreed in late January to provide 14 Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine.
That number increased a few weeks later to 18. The increase came as Berlin and other Western allies scrambled to assemble two battalions of Leopard 2 tanks for Kiev. Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands have also agreed to provide Ukraine with updated Leopard 1 tanks, an older model the German military has not used in two decades.