Germany agreed an export license of Leopard 2 main battle tank to Oman for test purposes 11411153

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Defence & Security News - Oman
 
Germany agreed an export license of Leopard 2 main battle tank to Oman for test purposes.
German Defense Company Krauss-Maffei (KMW) has proposed its Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) to the Gulf Arab country of Oman, according the German magazine "Der Spiegel". The magazine writes that a possible deal could result in delivery of more than 70 Leopard main battle tanks for about €2 billion (US $2.2 billion).
     
German Defense Company Krauss-Maffei (KMW) has proposed its Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) to the Gulf Arab country of Oman, according the German magazine "Der Spiegel". The magazine writes that a possible deal could result in delivery of more than 70 Leopard main battle tanks for about €2 billion (US $2.2 billion). The Leopard 2A6 MBT was deployed in Afghanistan by Canadian and Danish armed forces.
     
Der Spiegel said Oman had invited KMW with its Leopard 2 MBT and a Turkish competitor Otokar with its Altay MBT to tender for a contract, which could have an order worth more than 2 billion euros. Der Spiegel said the Federal Security Council, the German body that monitors the export of military goods, had given KMW a temporary export licence for a Leopard tank for a test in Oman.

The German government has given the green light for more arms exports to the Gulf region, reports say. But the equipment is said to be partly for "test purposes."

Germany recently approved the export of grenade launchers, assault rifles and sub-machine guns worth over 3 million euros to Oman, which is viewed as a relatively stable country in the Middle East.

Recently, Germany agreed the delivery of the first of 62 Leopard 2A7+ series main battle tanks (MBTs) and 24 PzH 2000 155mm/52 self-propelled (SP) artillery systems by the German Defence Company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann which were ordered under a €1.89 billion contract placed early in 2013.

Leopard 2s have been ordered by 18 countries, with a mix of brand new vehicles and surplus vehicles, but Qatar is the first country in the Middle East to have been cleared for export sales. Krauss-Maffei Wegmann has confirmed that the Leopard 2 MBT was tested in Saudi Arabia in June and July 2012, and in the United Arab Emirates between April and October 2011.

The Leopard 2A6 is one of the latest version of the Leopard 2 MBT family. The Leopard 2 was developed and manufactured by the German Defence Company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann based on the Leopard 2A5 main battle tank.

The main armament of Leopard 2A6 includes the 120mm L55 smoothbore gun which was developed by Rheinmetall Waffei Munition of Ratingen, Germany to replace the shorter 120mm L44 smoothbore tank gun on the first version of Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2A6 is fitted with an improved armour protection over the frontal arc with the turret front having a distinctive arrowhead shape. This provides a significant increase in protection against both kinetic and chemical energy attack. The turret interior has been fitted with spall liners. The side skirts also incorporate composite improved armour.