Ukraine's Leopard 1 tanks get reactive armor upgrade for battlefield

Ukraine has received about 80 Leopard 1A5DK tanks, the latest serial updated version intended for the Danish Armed Forces. War experiences have allowed Ukrainians to improve this older design and better adapt it to the modern battlefield. What has been changed?

Alongside older versions of third-generation tanks—such as Abrams, Challenger 2, or Leopard 2—Ukraine has received and will likely continue to receive older designs as well. These include Leopards, which were developed and built in the 1960s.

In the past, this equipment was very popular not only in Europe but also in distant corners of the world. For this reason, large quantities of these tanks were – and likely still are – stored in various depots.

The stored vehicles are in varying conditions, but after repairs carried out in countries like Poland, they provide valuable support for Ukraine. According to current declarations, at least 160 such machines will be delivered to Ukraine in total.

The advantage of Leopard 1A5 tanks, the most modern serial version of this equipment, is decent mobility, a 105-mm gun sufficient to destroy most armored targets, and the EMES 18 fire control system with a thermal imager similar to that of the Leopard 2. However, the Leopard 1 has very weak armor. This is precisely the issue Ukrainians have decided to address.

Defence 24 reports on photos from the training of the Ukrainian 5th Armored Brigade, showing Leopard 1 tanks covered with Kontakt-1 reactive armor. Foldable frames were also mounted on the tanks, intended for installing camouflage or additional shields.

The way Ukrainians are securing their tanks raises many doubts, however. While reactive armor is effective against projectiles with cumulative warheads, it was developed to protect well-armored tanks.

The Leopard 1, meanwhile, has side armor comparable to that of an infantry fighting vehicle, and it is unclear what the effects will be of detonating reactive armor blocks on it. While the cumulative warhead will likely be destroyed, it is unknown how the explosion on the armor's surface will affect the tank itself. Possible consequences include, for example, internal armor fragments detaching. As seen in the photos and videos, the Ukrainians have nevertheless decided to take the risk.