Germany boosts Ukraine's defense with advanced Leopard tanks and ammo

The German authorities have highlighted their substantial military support to Ukraine. The latest list on the government website includes 21,000 rounds for the Gepard self-propelled guns and eight valuable Leopard 1A5 tanks. This means Berlin has now sent 58 Leopards to the front.

Germany is one of the most significant contributors in Europe concerning the value of equipment provided as military aid to Ukraine. Sources from the German newspaper "Bild" claim that Berlin provided aid worth $7.7 billion in 2024. Skynex air defense systems, Marder infantry fighting vehicles, and one of the most valuable tools for combating all air threats, the Patriot systems, have been delivered to the front from Berlin.

The list of equipment provided to Ukraine continues to grow, with the latest update of German support from Monday, July 29. It includes numerous rounds for the Gepard self-propelled guns (21,000 rounds), two armored recovery vehicles, Bergepanzer 2 with spare parts, and a range of smaller tools, including 10 surveillance radars, almost 25,000 combat helmets, and a field hospital.

Germany also reports that new tanks have recently reached the front for the Ukrainians. We are talking about eight Leopard 1A5 units. Thus, the total support of this type of machine has increased to 58 units.

Ukrainians have been receiving Leopard 1A5 tanks from Germany for many months. Although there were concerns about the condition of some of these machines, the German media reported in 2023 that Kyiv refused to accept a batch of 10 tanks due to the need for urgent repairs.

Although the Leopard 1 dates back to the 1960s, the A5 variant, which Germany supports Ukraine with, is a much newer design from the 1980s. The manufacturer has equipped this tank with a series of modifications that make the Leopard 1A5 capable of threatening newer units even on a modern battlefield.

Journalist Przemysław Juraszek explained that the most significant change in the A5 variant compared to its predecessor, the A4, is the presence of the EMES 18 fire control system. Thanks to this, the Leopard 1A5 crew has a thermal sight for the gunner and a ballistic computer, allowing precise firing toward the enemy.

These machines sent from Berlin to Kyiv are offensively capable, and their 105 mm rifled cannon adapted for firing modern APFSDS-T ammunition provides this capability. This is sufficient to penetrate the frontal armor of post-Soviet T-72 tanks and modernize them.