IDET 2019: KMW presents the Leopard 2A7+ Main Battle Tank.

At IDET 2019, a defence exhibition in the Czech Republic, the German Company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), a KNDS (KMW+Nexter Defense Systems) company, presents the Leopard 2A7+ MBT (Main Battle Tank), one of the latest variant in the Leopard 2 MBT family. According to our information, the Czech army has a plan to upgrade or replace its fleet of MBTs between 2020-2025.

The Leopard 2A7+ Main Battle Tank of KMW on display during IDET 2019, Czech Republic (Picture Source: Army Recognition)

The T-72M4 CZ is an upgraded Czech version of the Soviet-made main battle tank T-72. The only user of this tank is the Czech Army. Between 2003 and 2006, 30 T-72 tanks were upgraded to the standard T-72M4CZ.

The upgrade consists of a new powerpack in the form of Perkins Condor CV 12, Allison XTG-411-6N automatic transmission and Selex Galileo TURMS/T Fire Control System. The navigation system was upgraded with NBV-97, which was developed by Letecké Přístroje Praha SRO and a new communications suite has been added.

For protection, a new ERA is called DYNA, meaning DYNamic Armour developed in Czech was added along with full NBC protection and a fire detection and suppression system by German company Kidde Deugra.

Currently, the Czech Army used a fleet of Soviet-made T-72 main battle tanks, including the first version of the tank, and upgrade variants as the T-72M1 and the T-72M4CZ. To respond to the new threats of the modern battlefield, the Czech army would like to modernize its fleet of main battle tanks with a new generation of the vehicle.

The Leopard 2A7 is a further development of the Leopard 2A6 MBT featuring many new improvements as enhanced protection and reconnaissance capabilities. The 2A7+ MBT was unveiled in June 2010 at Eurosatory, defence exhibition in Paris, France. It has been tested and qualified by the German Army. The Leopard 2A7+ was deployed in Afghanistan by Canada under NATO command.

The main armament of the Leopard 2A7+ consists of one 120 mm smoothbore gun L55, which has been developed by the German Company Rheinmetall GmbH of Ratingen, to replace the shorter 120 millimetre L44 smoothbore tank gun on the Leopard 2. The Leopard 2A7 + is also armed with KMW’s remote controlled weapon station FLW 200, which is operable under protection.

The Leopard 2A7+ is equipped with IED and mine protection modular concept allows the integration of an urban operations kit that also offers a 3600 protection against RPG while a duel-kit retains the crew from KE- and SC-projectiles especially on the frontal arc in classical duel-situations.