Czech Republic eyes Western support with 14 leopard 2a4 tanks for ukraine aid

Rheinmetall, the German arms manufacturing giant, announced that it had received an order from the Czech government to deliver 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks and a Bergepanzer 3 Bueffel recovery vehicle to the Czech military. This is a form of compensation for the armaments the Czech Republic supplied to Ukraine from its stockpiles.

This information was published on Monday on the manufacturer's website. It was noted that this is the second so-called Ringtausch (ring exchange) with the Czech Republic aimed at supporting Ukraine. The agreement for this transaction was signed at the end of July in Prague.

According to Rheinmetall, the first of the ordered tanks is expected to be delivered to the Czech armed forces at the end of 2024. The remaining vehicles will be delivered by the end of April 2025, and the Bergepanzer 3 Bueffel recovery vehicle at the beginning of 2026. In October 2022, a similar exchange took place with Germany, during which Prague also received Leopard tanks and recovery vehicles in exchange for providing Ukraine with its Soviet-made equipment.

Rheinmetall reminded on Monday that "Ringtausch" is a procedure developed by the German government in cooperation with European neighbors and NATO partners. Its goal is to support Ukraine in its fight against Russia. NATO partners provide Ukraine with Soviet-made heavy equipment; in exchange, they receive available types of Western-made armaments.

Leopard 2A4 tanks, used by various armies, including Poland's, are characterized by significant mobility and advanced combat systems. Equipped with an MTU engine with 1500 HP, these machines can reach a speed of up to 45 mph on paved roads. A key element of the Leopard 2A4 is its advanced fire control system with thermal imaging, which significantly increases its combat effectiveness. Armaments include a 120 mm smoothbore cannon and 7.62 mm machine guns.