“I can thank you hundreds of times, but those hundreds of thanks won’t get me hundreds of tanks”, declared Volodymyr Zelensky in front of the defense ministers of Western nations gathered in Ramstein, Germany, on Friday 20 January. Ukraine has been insisting on tanks from its European allies for weeks. The French Leclercs but also, and above all, the German Leopards are in kyiv’s sights.
► The German Leopard 2, the first choice
Designed by Kraus-Maffei and put into service in 1979 to replace the Leopard 1 and the American M48 Patton which had equipped the West German army until then, the Leopard 2 was produced in approximately 3,500 copies. It equips a dozen European nations, including Greece and Spain. A 1,500 horsepower engine pushes its 60 tonnes to 70 km/h. This 7.72 meter long tank has a range of 550 kilometers.
It also has plenty of firepower, with a smoothbore cannon capable of firing 120mm ammunition and two light machine guns. Its armor protects it from mines and rocket launchers. This heavy vehicle carries four people: a commander, a gunner, a pilot and a soldier whose mission is to reload the gun.
He was deployed in Kosovo in support of NATO forces but also in Afghanistan, by the Danes and the Canadians. The Turks also used it in Syria against Daesh. The fighters of the terrorist organization had succeeded in destroying several of them, taking advantage of the relative weakness of its armor on the sides and rear.
The Leopard tank is more suited to the Ukrainian terrain than the American Abrams. First, it consumes much less gasoline. Then, its wide distribution in Europe allows easy access to ammunition and spare parts. A definite advantage for these machines which require regular maintenance operations.
kyiv has claimed 300 copies of the Leopard 2, while some military analysts estimate that a hundred of these vehicles would make it possible to change the situation on the ground.
► The Leclerc tank, a far from ideal solution
Produced by Nexter (formerly Giat Industries), the Leclerc tank is named in honor of the general who was the first to enter Paris at the Liberation. It is the only tank in service in the French army, originally designed, like the Leopard 2, to counter Soviet armor. In all, 876 copies were produced.
The Leclerc tank carries only three men, thanks to its automatic loader. It is shorter than the Leopard 2 (6.88 meters) but almost as heavy (56 tons). Like its German counterpart, it has a 1,500 horsepower engine that allows it to reach 72 km/h on the roads and 55 km/h on other terrains.
Like the Leopard 2, it is equipped with a 120 mm cannon and two machine guns. Both tanks, like the American Abrams M1, use 120 mm ammunition due to the standardization wanted by NATO. The Leclerc has the distinction of being able to shoot while moving. Even launched at 50 km/h, the gun remains very stable.
France has only 220 copies of this tank, which makes any donation to Ukraine problematic. Especially since no new guns have left the factory since 2008, unlike the Caesar cannons, which are still produced by Nexter.
If Paris sent some to Ukraine, it would therefore be a small number. The operational interest would therefore remain limited. On the other hand, the declaration of Emmanuel Macron, who announced that he was considering their delivery, can be a means of putting pressure on Germany, which has so far been reluctant to deliver its Leopard 2s to Ukraine.
France had already paved the way by sending light armor, which, if they are more mobile than heavy tanks, are not powerful enough to support a possible counter-offensive. On open ground, tanks lead the way and infantry follow to safety. In the forests, the infantry advance first to flush out possible hidden enemies with anti-tank weapons. For the moment, kyiv relies mainly on T-72s, dating from the Soviet era.