Additional tanks and artillery for Ukraine: Germany's latest defense boost

As reported by the portal Welt, the decision was made during talks of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (UDCG) held at the Ramstein base on August 16, 2024. German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated that half of the declared Panzerhaubitze 2000, worth 2.4 billion USD, will be sent to Ukraine by the end of 2024, and the 77 Leopard 1A5 tanks will be delivered as soon as possible.

For the tanks, Germany's partners are the Netherlands and Denmark, which will likely be responsible for the training base, as has been the case so far. A few months ago, we reported on the use of tanks from Danish armored museums in the training of Ukrainians.

Twelve units will join the already operational 27 PzH-2000 howitzers in Ukraine, coming from Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy. The German howitzers are the most advanced machines of this type in Ukraine, offering excellent mobility, the highest level of crew protection, and excellent firing parameters.

However, they are also the most complex machines, requiring significantly more care and being more prone to the hardships of war compared to, for example, the less advanced Polish Krab. The Krab allows for similar target effectiveness and spends much less time off the front lines for repairs.

There have been recordings of crews using the PzH-2000 in emergency mode, where the howitzer was deprived of its main advantage, the loading auto mechanism.

The Panzerhaubitze 2000 is a heavy, 63-ton tracked howitzer. It is equipped with a 155 mm gun with 52 calibers in length and an automatic loader that allows firing up to 10 rounds per minute, which is an excellent result. This high rate of fire allows for up to five shots in MRSI (Multiple Round Simultaneous Impact) mode, where all projectiles hit the target almost simultaneously over a distance of more than 12 miles.

The range depends on the ammunition used: the cheapest DM121 shells will reach 19-20 miles, 25-26 miles for shells with a gas generator, or even up to 37 miles in the case of shells with rocket boosters such as the M549A1. Additionally, the PzH-2000 can also use special projectiles such as the SMArt 155, whose sub-munitions autonomously seek out and target armored vehicles or Vulcano GLR sub-caliber guided munitions with ranges of up to 50 miles.

Moreover, the ammunition magazine, which holds 60 ready-to-fire rounds, is fully isolated from the crew, and its loading takes only 12 minutes. This significantly reduces the risk of destruction during ammunition replenishment. Combined with the ability to take or leave a firing position in less than a minute and strong armor using Igelpanzerung mats, the PzH-2000 is a highly effective system in the right hands.

Although Leopard 1 tanks are a completely outdated design and unsuitable for fighting modern tanks, the A5 variant from the 1990s can be useful in Ukraine. Given that the Russians are deploying relics like the T-62 tanks, the Leopard 1A5 loaded with newer ammunition and equipped with the EMES-18 fire control system with thermal imaging borrowed from the first variants of the Leopard 2 can still be a formidable machine.

This allows it to detect the enemy and fire the first shot. Additionally, Ukrainians use tanks as self-propelled artillery to fire at about 6 miles. This makes artillery shells the main threat, and the armor, although insufficient for tank combat, is enough to protect against fragments. Some crews further strengthen it with Kontakt-1 blocks to defend against drones.

This allows the Ukrainians to pull back more advanced armored machines like the T-64BW for assault units or the most dangerous front sections, while the Leopard 1A5 tanks are deployed in less intense directions. The Leopard 1A5's advantage is also its very good off-road mobility due to its light weight of just over 44 tons and an engine with just over 800 horsepower.