Germany presented the latest Leopard 2A7A1 battle tank: how it was strengthened

The Bundeswehr has received a new version of the Leopard 2 tank.

The German defense company KNDS Deutschland has presented the Leopard 2A7A1 main battle tank, equipped with the Israeli Trophy active protection system (APS). The prototype was presented at the company's factory in Munich during a demonstration attended by representatives of the German Bundeswehr and an Israeli delegation, ArmyInform reports.

According to information disseminated by the defense resource Defense Industry Europe, the production tank will be equipped with the latest, at the moment, modification of the Trophy active protection complex (KAZ), from the Israeli companies Rafael and IAI. Previously, the Leopard 2 was equipped with Trophy armor only on research and demonstration models, but now the Bundeswehr has become the first customer for this version.

This system, according to experts from the Army Recognition website, provides reliable protection against anti-tank missiles and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, detecting and neutralizing incoming threats before they hit the tank. The Trophy system includes radar antennas and launch platforms on the outside, and inside it includes a control unit and power supply built into the turret and chassis.

According to the Defense Industry Europe portal, the Leopard 2 A7A1, designed for active service starting in 2025, will strengthen Germany's 203rd Armored Battalion. The unit is planned to be deployed in a German combat brigade stationed in Lithuania.

The German Defense Procurement Agency (BAAINBw) confirmed that the tank will soon begin testing, with final approval expected by summer 2025, after which the first units will be transferred directly to the troops.

The Trophy system, integrated with the Leopard on-board computer and battlefield management systems, includes an advanced targeting locator. This system identifies the source of incoming threats, transmitting precise coordinates to the tank control system for rapid automated countermeasures, greatly improving defense response time.

In 2021, the Bundeswehr agreed with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (now KNDS Deutschland) to produce 17 Leopard 2A7A1 tanks and a test vehicle, with deliveries to begin in 2024. A simultaneous contract was also signed with Israel for Trophy components, ammunition and special equipment, as part of a €120 million program jointly funded by Germany and Israel.

The new KNDS Leopard 2 chassis meets the Trophy system's power requirements with modifications including a 20 kW power supply and improved cooling for the upgraded MTU Friedrichshafen engine, ensuring optimal mobility despite the tank's increased weight to 70 tons.

The Leopard 2A7A1 is expected to be an interim solution until the more advanced Leopard 2A8 enters service in 2025. The A8, featuring an improved, lighter Trophy system optimized for drone defense, represents the next evolution of the Leopard series with the Trophy fully integrated into its turret, contrasting with the configuration of the optional A7A1 system. Currently, the Trophy in the Leopard 2A7A1 version is not designed to combat kamikaze drones, but Israeli engineers plan to include this feature in future models.

In October, Rafael announced the successful completion of development that allows the Trophy complex to defend against modern threats, including FPV drones. These drones pose a serious threat that exceeds the risks from ATGMs and anti-tank grenade launchers, from which Trophy was originally created.

Currently, only two countries in the world have serial tanks from KAZ – Israel and the United States. The American military equipped its Abrams MBTs with the Trophy system back in 2021, after a contract concluded in 2018.