Leopard tanks cannot be delivered to Ukraine before 2024
Delivery of Leopard tanks to Ukraine is possible only in 2024
Even if the central government decides to supply Leopard to Ukraine, it is not immediately possible. According to the arms company Rheinmetall, this is until 2024. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Ambassador Oleksii Makeiev says: “German tanks are essential for survival.”
“Delivery will last until early next year, even if decision is made tomorrow”: According to arms group Rheinmetall, repaired Leopard battle tanks must be converted for combat use before they can be delivered to Ukraine.
DAccording to arms group Rheinmetall, the Cheetah 2 battle tanks for Ukraine will not be ready until 2024. “Even if we decide tomorrow that our Leopard tanks can be sent to Kyiv, the delivery will be early next year,” said Armin Popperkar, CEO of “Bild am Sonntag”, according to an initial report.
The group owns 22 decommissioned Leopard 2 tanks and 88 vehicles of the earlier model Leopard 1. Repairs will take nearly a year, Paperkar said. “Vehicles need to be not only painted but converted for combat use. They are completely dismantled and then rebuilt.” Without the order, the group cannot operate the tanks because it would cost several hundred million euros. “Rhinemet can’t finance it before then,” Paperker said.
According to Papperger, the Leopard could play a decisive role in the war in Ukraine. “The Leopard main battle tank is very important for offensive and territory recovery,” said the manager. “With main battle tanks, an army can break through enemy lines and end protracted trench warfare.”
A debate has erupted in Germany over the delivery of this type of battle tank to Ukraine. Ukraine’s allies have so far supplied the country with arms and ammunition extensively, but not Western-style main battle tanks.
However, more recently, Poland and Finland have agreed to participate in the supply of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine, but they depend on the approval of the manufacturer, Germany. Great Britain delivered British Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine on Saturday.
Germany has so far promised Ukraine Marder infantry fighting vehicles and Gepard anti-aircraft vehicles. Papperger said Rheinmetall is ready to supply 40 Marder tanks. However, the precondition is that Greece initially waives the second tranche of its distribution from the ring exchange. “Of course, we will be able to deliver the remaining 20 Martens planned for Greece in time to Ukraine. The other vehicles will follow in April as we are working under high pressure,” Paperger said.
“The Tanks Are Coming”
Calls for delivery of Leopard 2 main battle tanks are growing louder. Poland and Finland are already considering extraditing them. “I am convinced that the rise will also come from the German side,” said Maximilian Terhalle, an expert on geopolitics and strategy.
Rheinmetall has also started manufacturing Cheetah ammunition for Ukraine. “We will finish manufacturing the first batch of ammunition by June/July. By the middle of next year we will deliver 300,000 rounds of ammunition to Ukraine,” the CEO said. “That’s a lot, so we hope that Ukraine’s Cheetah ammunition problem will be solved.”
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