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The Leopard 2 Thread


Militarysta

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Going back to the RUAG Leopard 2 MLU:

 

c46957f6.jpg

 

RUAG's armor protection is based on German technology. To be more exakt, RUAG bought 51% of the stocks of the company GEKE Schutztechnik GmbH in 2009. GEKE/RUAG's armor is supposedly used on the Boxer (roof armor), Puma (roof armor, mine protection) and Leopard 2 (mine protection of 2A6M, supposedly also unknown armor for the Leopard 2A7+).

 

GEKE's armor technology includes ERA and NERA:

imgf0006.png00490001.png

imgf0003.png

00460001.png

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well, that doesn't look good...

 

C2oZgbNWgAAF_6H.jpg

C2oZgbZW8AExK18.jpg

C2oZgbWXgAEfeWa.jpg

C2oZgbZW8AExK18.jpg

C2oZgbMXgAAup3h.jpg

Photos via SyrianMilitaryCap from Twitter. I am still not sure, that these tanks weren't destroyed after being abandoned by the crew. Specifically the last photos are very odd; the hull ammunition apparently didn't detonate (otherwise hull UFP armor would be blown off), but the turret is detached from the hull without any major sign of damage.

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@UP.

 

Not so bad, mostly it's BS talk about Leo-2 losses.

My point of view:

 

From Daesh drone:
yMwgdnP.jpg

On top - SINGLE Leo-2 damage or mobility kill, then tank hit by motar/artilery, then two captured by ISIS and burned,
This top Leo looks finally this whit unkown second leo:
sUPqDVT.jpg
Both destroyed tanks look like after air strike not like ATGM victims.

 

Back to the tanks - those leo hit by artilery:
GzSe4Ey.jpg
again:
LtFJl45.jpg

 

two captured by ISIS and burned:

FZPIzJ0.jpg

At least 5 tanks destroyed near hospotal area:

1x artillery strike

2x burned after beaing captured

2x propably after air strike before botj have damaeg from ATGM propably

It's not the and becouse we have unlucky tank hit by Metis-M:
l01qC3F.png

Im more then sure that in this tank where KIA... but Im not sure -it can be one tank from hospital or...from "twins" below:

 

Famous "twins" hit by ATGM:
XO0djU1.jpg
uper one hit by Fagot/Konkurs in turret bustle side:
yGRyoB0.png
IMHO light hit, and this tank was destroyed by Turkey forces, or it's those tank hit by Metis-M -im not sure here.

Finnal efekt:
PdGme7B.jpg

 

second tank from "twins" hit by Fagot/Konkurs:
HKVi5o2.png
minor damage to be hones:
78kQoTU.jpg

 

So as we can see - shitty tactis, mostly ATGM to turret sides. Many captured tanks or destroyed after unable to evacuate.

It;s not problem whit Leo-2 but whit not existing C3 in Turks side... :/

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It;s not problem whit Leo-2 but whit not existing C3 in Turks side... :/

I heard same about T-72s many times. The problem is not only with Turish tank crews training and tactics, but lack of any kind of serious side protection on those Turkish Leos.

 

So as we can see - shitty tactis, mostly ATGM to turret sides.

And big number of hits to turret sides suggest that having giant turrets is not very good for a tank that is under fire.

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Armoring tanks is always cost effective during wartime. A single tank's price can buy several dozen armor packs. So it's not that.

Besides, they're likely to receive a monetary boost from the Sultan.

Lack of experience? Surely they're functional enough to realize they're being mauled out there. And functional enough to make a single source purchase that requires no integration works.

It's just that not many approve of their way of thinking, as some may put it.

Erdogan is practically a Sultan now, and Turkey's not-so-successful invasion of Syria is seen as a non-necessary expansionism at the expense of the local populace. Germany just happens to be a strong supporter of the Kurds, as I understand.

Austria(?) recently announced that they refuse to provide technology for Altay's planned new engines.

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I have a greate satisfaction couse somthing what was very possible form me, (even obvious) become true based on facts and hard data:

Leopard 2A0-A3 was better armoured then M1. Knowing mass (kg) on armour cubic m2 in Leo-2 and M1 it was almoust sure,

now we have some hard data:

M1:

mCwf2NU.jpg

 

Leo-2:

9zfbPpA.jpg

 

 

So we have then:

M1:
400mm RHA vs KE
750mm RHA vs CE

Leopard 2A0-A3:
450mm RHA vs KE*
około 800-900mm RHA vs CE**

 

 

* it'smass equiwalent - consedering way of working burlington style armour it shoud be multiple by even 1,1-1,2 do up to 500-540mm (!), again - fact about posibilities DM-13 to perforate Leo-2A0 armour form less then 1000m give us up to 500mm RHA value.

** estimatous based on knowing relatio between "burlington style armour" protecion between CE and KE. Propably it shoud be number close to 850mm RHA in case Leo-2A0-A4.

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I have a greate satisfaction couse somthing what was very possible form me, (even obvious) become true based on facts and hard data:

Leopard 2A0-A3 was better armoured then M1. Knowing mass (kg) on armour cubic m2 in Leo-2 and M1 it was almoust sure,

now we have some hard data:

M1:

mCwf2NU.jpg

 

What is the source for the US estimations? Is this a document from CIA and can it be accessed online?

But in general good to know that we were correct. That the Leopard 2 has supposedly better frontal armor has been claimed by German sources since the US tests of the Leopard 2AV in 1976.

 

And here is my article about Leopard-2 armour, sorry it is in polish so "google translator", and coments under pictures are in BS version (just number of marks):

part I:

http://www.megafileupload.com/8i9c/Leopard_12R1_do_korekty.pdf

(chapter: "SZACUNKI" (estimates)

I cannot download the document, the website always reloads with a new advertisment in a pop-up window.

 

 

___

 

I have been trying to figure out the thickness of the Leopard 2 optional hull add-on armor (MEXAS-H/AMAP).

 

I am not a 100% sure, but it seems that the height of the glacis plate is the same in front and behind the mounting mechanism for the sliding hatch of the Leopard 2A5/2A6:

u3kB4zE.jpg

(that's what seems to be the most likely assumption)

 

Bronezhilet measured the height of the Leopard 2A6 hatch mechanism in August.

StPSdQb.jpg

So assuming above theory is correct, the hatch sliding mechanism extrudes over the glacis by ~65 mm. I am a bit puzzled by the "lower level" of the hatch sliding mechanism... is the lower edge of the Leopard 2A5/2A6/2A7 hatch located below the glaics? I am not sure, I think it is not. But to be sure I noted that that this might inflate the measurement by ~20 mm if that's the case.

 

Now let's take a look at the Leopard 2A7V demonstrator from Eurosatory 2016. In general the hull armor seems to have the same thickness as on the Strv 122, Leopard 2A6HEL, Leopard 2DK and Leopardo 2E (however the armor composition was most likely altered, the position and size of the bolts is different):

ubT9Ifh.jpg

The hatch sliding mechansim seems to be flush with the armor, so the armor is most likely 65 mm (also possible 45 mm). If we take the slope and thickness of the glacis into account (40 mm at 7° from the horizontal) this leads to 85 mm or 105 mm at 7° from the horizontal - line of sight this is equal to 697 mm or (more likely) 861 mm. That's as thick as the turret of a Leopard 2A4!

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@Methos

What is the source for the US estimations? Is this a document from CIA and can it be accessed online? But in general good to know that we were correct. That the Leopard 2 has supposedly better frontal armor has been claimed by German sources since the US tests of the Leopard 2AV in 1976.

 

page 2:

https://www.cia.gov/library/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP85T00757R000100080007-6.pdf

:)

 

Yes, we were correc.

 

I cannot download the document, the website always reloads with a new advertisment in a pop-up window.

Yes, stupid page, clik again in "free download" after reloade page.

Mirror:

http://www.filedropper.com/leopard12r1dokorekty

this lin shoud be OK -> "SZACUNKI" chapter

 

The hatch sliding mechansim seems to be flush with the armor, so the armor is most likely 65 mm (also possible 45 mm). If we take the slope and thickness of the glacis into account (40 mm at 7° from the horizontal) this leads to 85 mm or 105 mm at 7° from the horizontal - line of sight this is equal to 697 mm or (more likely) 861 mm. That's as thick as the turret of a Leopard 2A4!

Yes, it's VERY possible couse poeples form KMW had claimed that hull fornt of Leo-2A7V is protected like turret front. eg: "on the same level" many peoples thinkt that is pure marketing but indeed - in sucht layout it can be true...

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I have been trying to figure out the thickness of the Leopard 2 optional hull add-on armor (MEXAS-H/AMAP).

 

I am not a 100% sure, but it seems that the height of the glacis plate is the same in front and behind the mounting mechanism for the sliding hatch of the Leopard 2A5/2A6:

u3kB4zE.jpg

(that's what seems to be the most likely assumption)

 

Bronezhilet measured the height of the Leopard 2A6 hatch mechanism in August.

StPSdQb.jpg

So assuming above theory is correct, the hatch sliding mechanism extrudes over the glacis by ~65 mm. I am a bit puzzled by the "lower level" of the hatch sliding mechanism... is the lower edge of the Leopard 2A5/2A6/2A7 hatch located below the glaics? I am not sure, I think it is not. But to be sure I noted that that this might inflate the measurement by ~20 mm if that's the case.

The hatch receded a bit. The blue line you photoshopped is the top of the add-on modules, so the hatch takes about 2 cm from the total thickness, so that mechanism would be ~45 mm. The white line in the next picture is the edge of the side armour modules, which stay straight (this picture also shows the receding hatch).

a0b561d298.png

 

Luckily I took a photo of the actual add-on modules on the same day:

8Pnoo9s.jpg

With the very scientific method of measuring my thumb nail I can determine that the modules are 65-70 mm thick.

 

The side modules in this picture are 40-45mm thick.

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  • 2 weeks later...

GlL0QNU.jpg

XFVqF4G.jpg

xvniVYT.png

 

RUAG's Leopard 2 Midlife Upgrade (MLU). An interesting fact is that RUAG (or rather GEKE Schutztechnik GmbH, which was acquired by RUAG in 2009) has delivered the mine protection kits for the Leopard 2A6M/2A7, the Marder 1A5, the Puma IFV and the Boxer. The roof armor of the PzH 2000, the Puma and Boxer is also made by RUAG/GEKE.

This means that at least three companies are contracted for delivering the Puma's armor systems: RUAG for roof and mine protection, IBD Deisenroth with the passive ballistic and shaped charge protection, while the reactive HL-Schutz (formerly CLARA) armor is made by Dynamit Nobel Defence.

27518376492_0544d48b4b_h.jpg

Since 2015 an upgrade of the German Leopard 2A6M tanks to the Leopard 2A6M+ configuration is under way. The 2A6M+ designation is not official, but it is being used to distinguish non-upgraded and upgraded 2A6M tanks. The 2A6M+ upgrade includes the improved PERI R17A3 commander's sight (with third generation ATTICA thermal imager and eyesafe laser rangefinder), the SOTAS-IP communcation system (also adopted on the Puma IFV), and using the Deugra fire suppression system with the extinguishing agent DeuGen-N FE36 (the fire suppression system was originally removed on older tanks due to the Halocarbon-based extinguishing agents not meeting environmental protection standards). Furthermore new display panels are installed at the commander's and loader stations. The tank is also fitted with ultracapacitors, which deliver more energy at a faster and more stable rate.

Externally the Leopard 2A6M+ can only be distinguished from the small bulge created by the ultracapacitors and the spaced armor layer above the electronic compartments (afaik the SOTAS-IP is located there).

ultra-cap-2.jpg

 

Fifty tanks will be converted from 2A6M to 2A6M+, of which 48 will be operated by the German Army. Meanwhile there are current news on the 103 Leopard 2A4 tanks, which the MoD wanted to buy in since 2015...

While the upgrade of 84 Leopard 2A4 to the Leopard 2A7 configuration (or 2A7V configuration, if the development of the upgrade was finished and funding is possible) is planned for 2017, there is a major issue. The tanks are owned by the industry and no contract has been made yet! The main reason for this is Rheinmetall: the planed contract sees 1/3 of the work/money going to the company; however they want more, which KMW doesn't agree with. So KMW doesn't want any changes in the proposed contract, while Rheinmetall doesn't want to accept the current contrat. Honestly both sides have some arguments speaking for them, at least form a political and historical perspecitve.

KMW was (and still is) the main contractor for the Leopard 2 tank, it consists of the two companies that developed the hull (Krauss-Maffei) and the turret (Wegmann). The Leopard 2 has been the main product of KMW for a while, now with Rheinmetall winning export contracts (Leopard 2PL, Leopard 2RI), the profits are getting smaller. Rheinmetall is a much larger company (about eight times the employees of KMW) and has bought (among many other companies) MaK, which produced 45% of all Leopard 2 tanks.

 

In worst case this means that the Leopard 2A7 contract will be delayed so much, that the German elections in September will cause a time out (government might not want to approve it close to the elections) - depending on the outcome of the elections, it might be reduced or canceled.

 

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21 hours ago, Ramlaen said:

Is the 2A4 turret capable of being modified into a 2A7 or does it require being outright replaced?

All of the initial German Leopard 2A7 were once (Dutch) Leopard 2A4 tanks. The Leopard 2A5-2A7 tank upgrades are however a bit more time- and work-consuming, because it requires a lot more work than simply adding external armor modules. Aside of working on the torsion bars, upgrading a 2A4 to a 2A7 also includes cutting open the roof of the armor modules, replacing the armor modules, raising the EMES-15 sight and fitting an armored "doghouse" around it, removing the PERI R17A1 and replacing it with the PERI R17A3, which is moved to a different position. The new mountings for the add-on armor have to be added and the gun mantlet mounting is altered. Then a large number of internal components has to be replaced (incl. the gun) and spall liners will be installed at the interior walls.

lsRGMFH.jpg

 

Wiedzmin from the Otvaga forums has found a document from the Leopard 2AV development on weight reductions.

OjxtorL.jpg

Accoding to this snipplet, the armor protection is designed against the Milan ATGM (600-650 mm penetration) and a 105 mm APFSDS round with 38 mm "core" (projectile most likely). No 105 mm APFSDS or APDS round with 38 mm core/projectile diameter entered service with the German Army, but there was an APFSDS round with 38 mm diameter for the 105 mm smoothbore gun of the original 10 Leopard 2 prototypes. This APFSDS round might be identical to the 120 mm DM13 APFSDS (same projectile diameter, same weight), but has a lower muzzle velocity. As there is no exact data on range and on which part of the tank is required to have this level of protection (hull front? turret front? 30° frontal arc?), this doesn't tell very much about the actual protection level.

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On 12/02/2017 at 8:55 PM, SH_MM said:

a 105 mm APFSDS round with 38 mm "core" (projectile most likely). No 105 mm APFSDS or APDS round with 38 mm core/projectile diameter entered service with the German Army, but there was an APFSDS round with 38 mm diameter for the 105 mm smoothbore gun of the original 10 Leopard 2 prototypes. This APFSDS round might be identical to the 120 mm DM13 APFSDS (same projectile diameter, same weight), but has a lower muzzle velocity. As there is no exact data on range and on which part of the tank is required to have this level of protection (hull front? turret front? 30° frontal arc?), this doesn't tell very much about the actual protection level.

Quantified data about this 105 mm smoothbore gun and its APFSDS are shown in the following table summarising the trilateral trials :

1487499193-trilateral-evaluation-1974-19

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