Leopard tanks in Ukraine: DIY armor boosts survival rates
German experts express concerns over the improvised reinforcement of Leopard 2 tanks in Ukraine. Ukrainians have responded sharply, explaining their reasons for these modifications.
German observers on the Hartpunkt portal have highlighted reports of improvised protective measures, such as grids and Kontakt-1 blocks, on Leopard 2 and Leopard 1A5 tanks used by the Ukrainian army. Similar solutions are also employed on other tanks in the armed forces of Ukraine and Russia.
Responding to the criticism on the Defense Express portal, Ukrainians state that the war has brutally tested the effectiveness of military equipment, including Leopard 1A5 tanks. Although their armor is limited, the Ukrainian modifications, such as reactive armor blocks, enhance their resistance to FPV drone attacks.
The operation of reactive armor blocks and their effectiveness on leopards
Reactive armor blocks, like Kontakt-1, are a simple 1980s solution, consisting of two steel plates with about 0.57 pounds of explosive material in between. This detonates upon being hit by a shaped charge jet and disperses it with a shock wave and fragments, largely nullifying its penetration capabilities.
However, the armor of the Leopard 1 is marginally safe for using Kontakt-1 blocks, as the underlying armor must withstand the force of the explosion. When the armor is too thin, as in Russian BMP-2s, it can result in the death of the crew inside.
For instance, popular PG-7VL grenades on drones can penetrate 20 inches of steel armor, and the Leopard 1's 3-inch armor offers no protection against them. These modifications allow the tanks to survive up to 12 hits, which is impressive, making Leopard 1A5 tanks, designed in the 1960s, still useful on the Ukrainian battlefield.
The improvisation of Ukrainians — they do it because they have no alternatives
While Ukrainians do not entirely dismiss German criticism that improvised armor reinforcement can negatively impact the so-called iron triangle—balancing mobility, armor, and firepower—the additional weight affects mobility, suspension durability, and limits crew awareness by narrowing their field of view.
Nevertheless, Ukrainians are proceeding in this manner because they have no better options. The Germans have not provided a sensible alternative, and aside from these modifications, there are no short-term solutions for Ukraine. Ideally, they would be provided with systems like the Trophy active protection system used on Israeli Merkava tanks or the latest Leopard 2A8 tanks, which Ukraine cannot currently rely on.
