The Ministry of Protection in Greece has held a gathering with the German firm, Melita Energy [MPD]. Throughout this assembly, it was proposed that the Greek Leopard 1A5 tanks be upgraded with new engines. At present, the Greek 1A5s are powered by MTU MB 838 CaM 500 engines, able to a most energy output of 819 hp. In response to Greek sources, that is about changing the outdated engines within the Greek tanks.
“On 18 April 24, a presentation was made to GES workers by representatives of the MELITA POWER firm concerning its proposals for changing the present LEO 1A5 tank engine, in addition to its upkeep choices,” the Greek army introduced in a quick communique.
The preliminary acquisition of 104 Leopard 1A5 GR tanks was made by Greece in 1983-1984. Technically, these tanks had been the Leopard 1A3 mannequin; nonetheless, they included the EMES 12A3 FCS and had been subsequently modified to fulfill the necessities of the Greek Army.
In 1992, the Greek Army obtained one other batch of 75 Leopard 1A5s as a part of an offset association in trade for the fabrication of 4 MEKO 200 frigates. Subsequently, Greece secured a supply of 170 Leopard 1Vs and a couple of Leopard 1A5s from the Royal Netherlands Army – these had been technically 1A1A4s outfitted with EMES 12A3 AFSL-2 FCS.
The interval between 1998 and 2000 noticed Greece buying 192 beforehand owned Leopard 1A5s in a barter association for the upgrading of Greek F-4s in Germany, incurring solely a nominal value. In 2001, a call was made by the Greek Army to improve 104 Leopard 1A4GRs and 120 Leopard 1Vs to the A5+ model, with an related value of $234 million.
Nonetheless, this program was finally annulled when Greece obtained a batch of 150 Leopard 1A5s together with the newly fabricated Leopard 2A6 HEL. At present, Greece is without doubt one of the predominant customers (and presumably the biggest) of Leopard 1 tanks, possessing greater than 500 MBT Leopard 1A5 GRs, together with quite a few ST, Biber, and Leguan variants.
The Leopard 1A5GR definitely catches the attention with its imposing dimensions. Measuring 9.54 meters lengthy, 3.37 meters large, and a couple of.7 meters tall, it could actually comfortably home a four-member crew consisting of a commander, gunner, loader, and driver.
Powering the Leopard 1A5GR is the sturdy MTU MB 838 Ca M500 multi-fuel engine, which delivers a hearty 830 horsepower. This highly effective engine allows the tank to attain a most street velocity of 65 km/h and an off-road velocity of 45 km/h. Moreover, a complete chain torsion beam suspension system enhances the tank’s off-road driving capabilities.
The Leopard 1A5GR is supplied with a few of the most refined techniques within the business. Its arsenal features a laser vary finder, thermal imaging for each the gunner and the commander, in addition to a extremely correct hearth management system. Built-in security options comparable to Nuclear, Organic, and Chemical [NBC] safety and automated firefighting capabilities add to its security profile.
The Leopard 1A5GR is fittingly armed with a flexible 105 mm L7A3 rifled gun that fires a number of kinds of rounds, and twin 7.62mm machine weapons, one for coaxial and one for anti-aircraft functions. Its ammunition storage is well-stocked, carrying 55 rounds for the principle gun and a whopping 5,000 rounds for the machine weapons.
When it comes to fight attain, the Leopard 1A5GR impresses with roughly 600 kilometers. Due to the supply for exterior gas tanks, the fight vary could be prolonged even additional, enabling the tank to partake in operations for intensive intervals with out the necessity for refueling. This enhances its versatility, making it a key participant on any battlefield.
On the subject of upgrading Greek tanks, the main focus is just not solely on the 1A5 variant but in addition the 2A4 mannequin. Apparently, Greece was the primary to comprehend the advantages of Explosive Reactive Armor [ERA, known as dynamic protection in Russia] from the developments in Ukraine and determined to include it into all its 2A4s.
Final 12 months in Could, we witnessed the disclosing of the Leopard 2A4 tanks in Greece, outfitted with factory-enforced armor safety. As a part of the improve, the Greek tanks will probably be fitted with a manufacturing model of the ASPIS Modular NG-MB armor set.
Covert pictures recommend that Greek engineers are investing appreciable effort into bolstering the frontal safety of the tank’s predominant physique and the turret. Moreover, dynamic protecting blocks could be noticed on the edges of the turret and on the entrance of the hull, which covers the motive force. The tank’s turret rear can be seen to be shielded with an ensemble of anti-cumulative grids.
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