Spain leads in sending Leopard 2A4 tanks to ukraine
As reported by the Infodefensa portal, preparations are underway in Spain to send additional Leopard 2A4 tanks to Ukraine. The transport will be routed through Poland, but an interesting fact draws attention: Spain, not typically considered a tank powerhouse, has become the country providing Ukraine with the most Leopard 2A4 tanks.
2:54 PM EST, November 22, 2024
The Spanish Minister of Defense, Margarita Robles, confirmed that "the tasks related to finalizing this transport are practically completed, and the tanks will soon head to Poland, where the delivery of materials for Ukrainian forces is coordinated."
More Spanish Leopard 2A4 tanks for Ukraine
This refers to the final units from a batch of 19 Leopard 2A4 tanks that the Spanish authorities promised Ukraine at the beginning of this year. However, these are not the only tanks from Spain that have been managed and refurbished for Ukraine. In 2023, Madrid sent 10 Leopard 2A4 tanks to Kyiv.
According to the Defence Express portal, which specializes in military topics and the war in Ukraine, the 29 Leopard 2A4s give Spain the first place on the donor list for this type of tank. Spain surpasses not only Poland, which delivered 14 Leopard 2A4s, but also Denmark, the Netherlands, and Germany, where these tanks were originally manufactured. Although Spain has no massive arms industry, Madrid successfully organized a stable renovation process for Leopard 2A4s for Ukraine at its Santa Bárbara Sistemas plants.
Leopard 2A4 in Ukraine. Performing well
Among Western tanks in Ukraine, the Leopard 1A5 is the most numerous. However, the newer Leopard 2A4 not only provides greater durability but, most importantly, significantly better offensive capabilities, as Ukrainian soldiers have repeatedly pointed out. It is armed with a Rheinmetall L/44 smoothbore gun of 120 mm caliber and features an advanced EMES 15 fire control system with thermal imaging.
The Leopard 2A4's combat weight exceeds 60 tons. It is a tank about 32 feet long and more than 11 feet wide. Built-in fuel tanks with a total capacity of 317 gallons allow the crew to travel approximately 342 miles without refueling. An engine with 1,500 horsepower provides propulsion, enabling the Leopard 2A4 to reach speeds of up to 43 mph on paved roads.
Of course, while its durability is much better than old Soviet-era tanks, it cannot compare to even newer models. Therefore, Ukrainians often opt for additional modifications, such as installing reactive armor blocks like Contact-1.
