Military experts do not really see this current gift from Berlin to Kiev as a sign that everything is going well for Ukraine in the war against the Russian Federation: after all, the Leopard 1A5 main battle tank has been in service with the Bundeswehr for 20 years. – and now they must be reactivated, indicating a desperate supply situation with modern tank weapons and also high losses for the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
The ten Leopard 1A5s now moving from Germany to Ukraine were upgraded in combat performance in 1986, meaning the conversion included an improvement in the hit probability of the first shot while on the move, as well as a reduction in reaction time. New EMES 18 fire control system (adapted from FLA). Leopard 2 with a stabilized main aiming telescope (HZF) and laser range finder, but without the weapon tracking system (WNA), improved NBC protection, an angle mirror washing system for the driver, reinforced swing arm bearings and a field adjustment System. Another change was the preparation to accommodate the Leopard 2’s 120 mm onboard gun.
The Leopard 1A5 may still be useful on the contact line with Russian troops – as long as these German main battle tanks match the Russian Army’s older types: the Russian Federation’s T-72 or T-80 models have also been around for 40 years. Old old. Modern anti-tank guided weapons are particularly problematic for Ukrainian crews in the older German Leopard 1A5 tanks that have now been delivered.
In addition, the German government will provide Ukraine with an additional 13.1 million rounds of small arms ammunition, as well as a TRML-4D air surveillance radar that will be used with the IRIS-T air defense system. Germany is also sending a field hospital, four heavy-duty semi-trailers and 16 Vector reconnaissance drones.
