The Leopard 2 was an offshoot of the MBT-70 -- a cancelled joint development project between the USA and West Germany undertaken in the late 1960s. Even though the US had withdrawn from the project, the West Germans, under the auspices of Krauss-Maffei, continued research and development on the renamed Leopard 2 project. In 1977, the first production vehicles were delivered and exported to the smaller Dutch Army while the West German Bundeswehr waited a couple of years before it too was equipped with the powerful new main battle tank. The Leopard 2 is outfitted with a laser rangefinder, thermal-imaging equipment, and nuclear, biological and chemical defense system (NBC), and can conduct shallow amphibious operations. Its fire control system is unusual because the cartridge cases are combustible, which can lead to internal fires. The Leopard 2 has a 30% better power-to-weight ratio than the Leopard I, which results in increased cross-country mobility and a higher survivability rate on the battlefield.

The Leopard 2 Improved was developed into the Leopard 2A5. Most of its improvements were focused on armor protection; it was enhanced by adding external add-on modules to the turret and replacing the turret's internal armor modules with ones of newer, improved composition. The interior received spall liners to reduce fragments if the armor is penetrated. The commander's sight was moved to a new position behind the hatch and it received an independent thermal channel. The gunner's sight was moved to the turret roof as opposed to the cavity in the front armor in previous models. A heavier sliding driver's hatch was fitted.

The hydraulic turret drives were replaced by an all-electric system, increasing reliability and crew safety, as well as weight savings. The gun braking system was improved to prepare for the later mounting of the new L/55 gun tube and to enable firing of more powerful ammunition, such as the DM53 APFSDS. The first A5s were handed over to the German army tank school in 1995 and started to enter regular service with Panzerbataillon 33 in December the same year.

Pictured here is a 1:72 scale replica of an Austrian Kampfpanzer Leopard 2A4 main battle tank painted in a jaguar camouflage scheme. Pre-order! Ship Date: July 2026.

Dimensions:
Length: 5-1/4-inches
Width: 2-inches

Release Date: ?

Historical Account: "Austrian Delicacies" - The Austrian military has a wide variety of equipment. Recently, Austria has spent considerable amounts of money modernizing its military arsenal. Leopard 2 main battle tanks, Ulan and Pandur infantry fighting vehicles, C-130 Hercules transport planes, S-70 Black Hawk utility helicopters, and Eurofighter Typhoon multi-purpose combat aircraft have been purchased, along with new helicopters to replace the inadequate ones used after the 1999 Galtur Avalanche.