Leopard 2 Pictures

[AirCanuck]

Sweeeeeet.  I'm still in mild shock that we, CANADA, have a good tank.  Next thing you know we'll be getting attack helicopters.


And next think you know hell might freeze over.

It must have.  If only those choppers would come in too...

Man what a tank.  As said before, almost enough to entice me onto that dusty ground of yours.

 

[Mackie]

Leopard2A4
Location: Altmark training area (GüZ). A new caserne in service since 2000.

 

[jim303]

I don't know if this question been asked ; does the direction of the V marking on the side of the Leopard  mean anything ? Thanks

I'm not sure if the meanings have changed, they were used in various ways, but generally .... [Edit for OPSEC.  Too much information]

Cheers.

 

[McG]

According to Jane’s, the Swiss have an upgrade or Werterhaltung (WE) for their Leopard 2A4s (called Pz 87). The Pz 87 WE is being oriented towards low-level conflict, focusing primarily on enhancement in all-round protection, the provision of an independent weapon station for the loader and mine protection.  The WE kit includes command and control and protection features. The latter involve virtual and physical measures, including new side armor for the turret; additional hollow-charge bomblet protection for the turret roof (developed by RUAG); signature suppression; an auxiliary weapon station for a 12.7mm machine gun; and enhanced underbody protection against mines.

 

[ironduke57]

Regarding the Panzer87WE an Quote from www.kampfpanzer.de:

Currently the two companies KMWeg (75%) and RUAG Land Systems (25%) developing a modernisation package for the Swiss Panzer 87. From 2008 around 120 Pz 87 will be upgraded and designated Pz 87WE (Werterhaltung = value conservation).
Main goal of the combat improvement project is the signification improvement of the protection, but also of the command and control capabilities.
The hull is equipped with an additional mine protection as it got fielded also with the German Leopard 2A6. The package includes a large steel plate mounted under the hull front and covering the complete fighting compartment. The driver\'s seat has been removed by a parachute harness like arrangement that the driver wears around his hip. Large belt hold him in the right position. Like that the driver does not have any contact with the hull except on the pedals and is out of the shockwave area of exploding land mines. The protection of the driver is also increased by an additional armour plate on the hull glacis.
A last change for the driver is the use of a rear view camera, mounted on the hull rear top. It allows the rear driving without any guidance by the commander.
More extensive changes have been made to the turret of the Pz 87WE. Front and frontal sides are protected by Swiss developed armour packages. By using titanium alloys the passive protection against APFSDS penetrators could be improved significantly. Switzerland is not using the wedge armour developed in Germany and used for all Leopard 2A5+ versions. Instead of it the 230mm strong boxes are used which keep the well known form of the Pz 87 turret. The use of the new armour boxes has advantages, but also some disadvantages. The form ensures a constant protection level nearly over the entire turret front. Unfortunately the gunner's sight has not been moved and is still placed in the right turret front, forming a ballistic hole. The armour boxes at the turret side are longer than the German ones and covering nearly the complete fighting compartment. To ensure access to the engine compartment the modules can be moved aside.
The additional armour at the turret front and sides consists of several parts and can be removed easily. According to the current planning the modules should be mounted only in actual combat like situations. In addition all boxes can be opened at the bottom and the inserted armour can be exchanged according to the expected threat.
An additional external change is the improvement of the turret roof armour. The smoke grenade launcher has been also redesigned and is protected by a cover plate like the French Galix system. Additional closed storage boxes for the crew's personal equipment are mounted at the turret rear.
The Pz 87WE is equipped with an electric turret drive, replacing the older electro-hydraulic one of the Pz 87. The new system is significantly decreasing the crew's exposure in case of a penetrating hit. In addition the energy consumption and the emission of thermal energy and noise could be decreased.
An important change is the use of a new battlefield command system. In 2008 the Swiss Army is fielding this system which is allowing digital communication and information exchange between different units. The system enables the GPS based navigation from a coloured display at the commander's station. A third antenna is mounted at the right turret side beside the commander's copula. All navigation and communication data is collected and processed in a hull mounted digital computer.
The Peri-R17A1 of the Pz 87 has been replaced by the later Peri-R17A2. The new sight includes an Ophelios-P thermal sight and allows the commander to observe the battlefield by night. The sight is still mounted in front of the commander's cupola. Because of the increased dimensions of the sight the field of view of the commander over his normal vision blocks is slightly limited.
The normal AA-MG of the PZ 87 has been replaced by the so called Autarkic Weapon System (AWS). It consists of a 12.7mm M2 (MG64) machine gun, in a remotely controlled gun mount. The system is electrical controlled and full stabilized. The system is equipped with a day channel only. Tests with an image intensifier sight did not lead to the expected results. On request the system can be equipped with a thermal sight as well. The AWS is controlled by the loader. On his station a flat display and a joystick are mounted. It is planed to develop an active protection system based on the AWS. Then the system will be equipped with the parallel 7.5mm MGs. The AWS will then be equipped with a sensor guided logic that is acquiring protection targets, classifies them and if necessary starts an attack. The system would be comparable to the British TAMS.
Because of the AWS the loader's hatch needed to be modified, it swings now open to the front.
One focus during the development of the Pz 87WE was also the reduction of Radar, thermal and noise emission. To achieve this goal structural changes like the smoke grenade cover or the redesigned storage boxes have been introduced. In addition the tank can be equipped with a new multi-spectral camouflage kit. It is minimizing the radar reflections and decreases the thermal signature. The kit is mounted all over the turret but also the hull, including large skirts at the front. Together with the already available exhaust silencers the Pz 87WE will be one of the MBTs with the lowest detection possibility.
The 61t heavy Pz 87WE is showing what potential is still hidden in the old Leopard 2. After 20 years of service use in the Swiss Army the combat effectiveness of the Pz 87 is improved significantly.

Sadly this isn´t uptodate anymore. Out of financial reasons some parts of the WE packed where scrapped (for example the AWS).
More Pix of it (and other Leo2 variants/other milstuff) can also be found on that page. (German and English)

Regards,
ironduke57

 

[observor 69]

HELP WANTED

Nash Soonawala of Winnipeg writes: "Tanks, and some other military vehicles, have an inverted 'V' painted on their sides. Sometimes this V is turned 90 degrees and is lying on its side. What is the significance of these symbols?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080411.wwisdom12/BNStory/specialComment/

 

[Love793]

I beleive it's an IFF marking.

 

[McG]

.... and that's all the detail which is required.  This was asked once before & you can find more detail in this thread:  http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/65930/post-630922.html#msg630922

 

[Fusaki]

tomahawk just to let you know that is a memorial to the Canadian troops that have died in Afghanstan and it was done by our troops on there own time which is very sparse.

The flag at MSG was actually made by American Dog Handlers with the help of the terps. I don't know if it has been expanded on since Jan 07, but the folks who started it were not Canadian.  The Dog Handlers are a solid crew and their effort was very much appreciated.

 

[ironduke57]

Picture of an A4 with an Armor package developed by IDB for an unspecified "foreign user".

Leopard 2A4 Evolution Demonstrator (IBD) with AMAP-R Roof Armour

http://idr.janes.com/public/adlink/ads/1297078.pdf

From Tanknet:

Side skirts are removed, so that total up-armored weight is "about 60 [metric] tons". AMAP elements are partially movable for maintenance and refueling access. Supposed to protect against "heavy ATGMs" over the flanks and handheld AT weapons, IEDs and EFPs "of all calibers" all around. Includes bottom mine protection and "improved slat armor" aft, the latter to be replaced by further improved technology in serial production. No modification to the base vehicle beyond attaching the armor modules, though integration of an active defense system is planned as a future step.

Regards,
ironduke57

 

[geo]

The flag at MSG was actually made by American Dog Handlers with the help of the terps. I don't know if it has been expanded on since Jan 07, but the folks who started it were not Canadian.  The Dog Handlers are a solid crew and their effort was very much appreciated.

Dog handlers were South African & Americans.....
We have friends from RZA

 

[AirCanuck]

Picture of an A4 with an Armor package developed by IDB for an unspecified "foreign user".

Leopard 2A4 Evolution Demonstrator (IBD) with AMAP-R Roof Armour

http://idr.janes.com/public/adlink/ads/1297078.pdf

From Tanknet:
Regards,
ironduke57


That is a spectacular picture.

 

[Schütze]

Kampfpanzer Leopard 2


   Pictures of Leo 2...

More at http://www.fprado.com/armorsite/leo2.htm

   

 

[canauck]

Nice photos like how the egineer version was included, I'm pretty sure they are from European countries.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Nice photos like how the egineer version was included, I'm pretty sure they are from European countries.

Well no kidding as we don't have any LEO 2's on Canadian Soil.

 

[Lance Wiebe]

Well no kidding as we don't have any LEO 2's on Canadian Soil.

Not quite yet, they should be off-loading the first ones fairly soon from what I understand.

 

[Nfld Sapper]

Not quite yet, they should be off-loading the first ones fairly soon from what I understand.

Hmm... and I have been hearing the exact opposite coming out of the School here

 

[jimderfuhrer]

Still the Leopard 1A5 (C2) most famous pictures of Canadian forces ...this is a strong messages to every country you don't **** with German made 

Deutsch  Bundeswehr KampfPanzer Leopard 2

Deutsch Bundeswehr  KampfPanzer Leopard 2

Deutsch Bundeswehr "allerletzte" test (haha)

 

[tech2002]

What is the purpose of this device on the second last photo ?

 

[George Wallace]

What is the purpose of this device on the second last photo ?

It is the latest German Secret Weapons System Delivery System;  The MBT Catapult.    Now we will have to kill you.   ;D








It is a Test Bed on a Test Track.  It would be used to observe the operation of a vehicle on different angles of approach, and the affects on the mechanical parts, suspension, etc. of operations on different side slopes.