Almost 200 German tanks: when and how many Leopard 1 Ukraine will receive
Date: 2023-02-07 Author: Кирило Загоруйко Categories: MILITARY ASSISTANCE
A significant number of main battle tanks may enter Ukraine: the German federal government has given the green light for the export of 187 Leopard 1 tanks to armored vehicle manufacturers Rheinmetall and Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft (FFG). 88 of these older models of combat vehicles are in the warehouses of Rheinmetall, another 99 are ready to be transferred to FFG.
According to the German edition of Business Insider, the official figures should be announced on Tuesday, February 7.
Compared to the 14 Leopard 2 tanks that Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced almost two weeks ago, the 187 old-model Leopard 1 combat vehicles are a lot more. However, according to the publication, citing sources in government circles, funding for the repair of these old tanks has not yet been secured. In the next few weeks it will become clear at whose expense their reconstruction will take place.
In addition, it is not yet clear whether all 187 Leopard 1s will be combat-ready or if most of them will have to be used for spare parts.
It is expected that the first tanks of the old model will not be delivered until the middle of this year - too late for military protection from the spring offensive of the Russian army, which many experts expect.
Sources in the German government note that the military-strategic significance of the supply of tanks lies not so much in the vehicles themselves. The transition of the Armed Forces to Western combat vehicles goes hand in hand with the change in ammunition to NATO standards. This means a much better supply of ammunition for Ukraine, which it cannot itself produce for its old Soviet tanks. In the long term, this may increase the viability of the Ukrainian army.
