A worthy opponent in Ukraine
In the war between MBTs and anti-tank weapons like a “conflict” relationship, the two are constantly evolving to deal with each other. Therefore, when the Leopard-2 tank continuously upgraded its protection and firepower, anti-tank weapons developed somewhat faster.
Not to mention the Leopard-2A5/6 version, in the Syrian battlefield, Turkey has launched upgraded Leopard-2A4 tanks to fight and received bitter results, they cannot withstand anti-tank missiles yet. The strongest right of the Soviet Union and Russia are 9M113 Konkurs and Mertis-M. The image of dead Leopard-2s flying turrets similar to Russian tanks on the battlefield in 2016 has greatly affected the reputation of NATO’s main MBT line.
In Ukraine, the Leopard-2 tank will have to deal with more dangerous Russian anti-tank weapons, as well as the danger of high-precision weapons that attack from the air before having a chance to face directly. continued with the main Russian MBT lines such as T-72B3, T-80BVM or T-90M.
| The current Ukrainian battlefield is capable of burying the reputation of all modern MBTs in the world when the opponent is Russia, the world’s superpower. Photo: Defense Talk. |
Can the 3rd generation complex armor effectively deal with extremely powerful anti-tank weapons such as Kornet, Vikhr, Shturm… which is designed with the main goal of dealing with American tanks and vehicles. West or not is still a big question mark. Remember, the more sophisticated and modern the weapon, the higher the rate of failure or failure when encountering the strong effects of offensive firepower on the battlefield. A single shot of an anti-tank weapon may not be enough to bring down the Leopard-2 tank, but it will certainly affect the stable operation of the vehicle’s reconnaissance and fire control system or cause it to turn around. on line 2 for repair.
Along with that, the current Russian T-90M tanks are basically equal to NATO’s MBT in firepower and surveillance range, even having an advantage in part thanks to the ability to launch AT-11 Sniper missiles through main cannon.
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| Leopard-2 is not even capable of encountering the T-90M before being attacked and destroyed by Russian anti-tank fire. Photo: Topwar. |
On the other hand, the increased armor protection made the German tank increase in weight to more than 60 tons, so even though equipped with a turbocharged diesel engine of 1,500 hp, the Leopard-2’s maneuverability on muddy terrain and has been destroyed in the past time is also a big question mark.
Overall, the Leopard-2 with its capabilities and traditions will be a formidable weapon in the Ukrainian battlefield. However, to consider it as a weapon that can change the battlefield in Ukraine is still a big question mark and only field practice can prove it.
TUAN SON (general)
