€300 Million to Bring up to 2A7V Configuration
On 28 March Krauss-Maffei Wegmann signed a contract with the Bundeswehr equipment procurement agency, the BAAINBw, to modernise 101 LEOPARD 2 A6 main battle tanks.
The contract, valued at over €300 million, will bring several systems and components of the MBTs up to the level of the LEOPARD 2 A7V, including the targeting system and fire control computer as well as the chassis and what the company describes as “the operating concept.” Among other advantages to the Bundeswehr accruing from this upgrade will be a simplification of the MBT logistics footprint as the diversity of different LEOPARD models in service is reduced. The training burden will also be reduced for the same reason.
All 101 vehicles will be delivered to the Bundeswehr by 2026.