According to information from the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Rezniko, the Ukrainian armed forces received the first three Gepard anti-aircraft self-propelled gun vehicles from Germany. Three Gepard anti-aircraft gun systems were delivered on July 25, 2022.
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Germany Army Gepard 35mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun system based on Leopard 1 tank tracked chassis. (Picture source KMW)
Citing information from the Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Rezniko, the three Gepard self-propelled anti-aircraft mobile gun systems were delivered as well as several thousand pieces of ammunition. Ukraine expects to receive from Germany 15 anti-aircraft combat vehicles.
On July 18, 2022, the Army Recognition team reported that 100 Ukrainian soldiers were trained in using the Gepard anti-aircraft tank by the German army (Bundeswehr) in Schleswig-Holstein.
Citing information from the German Government, Germany plans to provide 15 Gepard 35mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun systems and around 60,000 rounds of ammunition.
The Gepard also nicknamed Cheetah, is a self-propelled anti-aircraft cannon that was developed by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) between 1976 and 1980. The development of the vehicle started in the 1960s and it was fielded in the 1970s.
The Gepard is fitted with a two-man turret armed with two Oerlikon Contraves 35 mm KDA cannons which have a cyclic rate of fire of 550 rds/min. One 35mm cannon is mounted externally on either side of the turret and the anti-aircraft ammunition is fed via fixed and moving chutes which are hermetically sealed from the fighting compartment. Each cannon is loaded with 310 rounds of anti-aircraft and 20 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition. The cannons have a maximum firing range of 5,500 m with FAPDS ammunition. A bank of four 76 mm smoke grenade dischargers is mounted on either side of the turret.
As an anti-aircraft combat system, the Gepard is fitted with two radars including pulse Doppler search radar located at the rear of the turret roof and a tracking radar mounted at the front of the turret. In travel position, the search radar is lowered to the rear of the turret. The search radar operates in the E/F bands and has a range of 15 km. The NATO E band is a designation given to the radio frequencies from 2000 to 3 000 MHz while F designates radio frequencies from 3 000 to 4 000 MHz. The search radar rotates at 60 rpm and provides continuous airspace surveillance with an IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) capability.
The Gepard is based on the tracked armored chassis of the Leopard 1 MBT (Main Battle Tank), the original turret is removed and replaced by a two-man anti-aircraft gun system. It has a crew of three including a driver, commander, and gunner.
