Czechs Press Pause on Leopard Tank Acquistion—But Sweden Is Full Steam Ahead
The old saying, “When one door closes, another opens” is likely being taken to heart in the offices of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall AG – the makers of the Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT). One NATO member may be pausing its planned acquisition of the German-made MBTs, but another partner nation is looking to ramp up its tank fleet.
Here is what we know.
Czechs Out of a Leopard Deal?
Last month, the General Staff of the Czech Army issued a letter to the country’s Ministry of Defense and requested that its planned purchase of 77 Leopard 2A8 MBTs be put on hold due to a lack of funds.
“Due to the lack of financial resources related to repeated reductions in funding under Chapter 307 of the Department of Defense, I request withdrawal from the implementation of the Main Battle Tank project,” stated the letter, signed by Army Chief of Staff Karel ehka, and reported by the local Novinky news outlet last month.
At issue was Prague’s reduction of its 2025 defense budget from $6.93 billion to $6.32 billion—while several purchases are already on the table, including the tanks, two dozen Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighters, two C-390 military transport aircraft, and nearly 250 CV90 infantry fighting vehicles. The Czech government has been working to find a solution to fund the various programs, as it seeks to increase its military.
Prague had approved a plan to purchase the 77 new tanks in June, while Rheinmetall also agreed to supply 14 of its older Leopard 2A4 variants along with an armored recovery vehicle after the Czech Army committed to transfer additional military hardware to Ukraine.
Sweden is Going All In
However, Sweden, NATO’s newest member, announced on Thursday that it would purchase 44 Leopard 2A8s, the most advanced variants of the third-generation main battle tanks, and receive upgrades for its 66 existing models.
“This is an absolutely necessary investment,” Sweden’s Minister of Defense Pal Jonson told state broadcaster SVT, per Reuters.
Stockholm pledged to double its army size after it joined the NATO alliance last March, and the additional tanks will help it meet its goals. The deal, which was valued at 22 billion Swedish crowns ($1.97 billion), will see the Nordic nation begin to receive the German-made tanks beginning in 2028, with deliveries continuing through 2031.
According to a report from Deutsche Welle (DW), Stockholm’s purchase of the tanks is “the most expensive upgrade of the military fleet since many of the tanks were bought in the early 2000s.” Ten of the new MBTs will replace armored vehicles that Sweden also donated to Ukraine.
NATO’s Armored Workhorse
Sweden will not be the only NATO member close to Russia’s doorstep to receive additional Leopard 2s. Last month, the Lithuanian Defence Materiel Agency under the Ministry of National Defence (DMA) announced it signed a contract with KNDS Deutschland for forty-four Leopard 2A8s.
That builds on a previously announced plan that will see the Lithuanian military form a new tank battalion equipped with the German-made tanks and Swedish CV-90 infantry fighting vehicles to strengthen NATO’s eastern flank.
The Leopard 2A8 is considered one of the absolute best MBTs in service today. Though a few Leopard 2s have been lost in the fighting in Ukraine, reports suggest the enhanced third-generation tanks have been able to stand up to a great deal of punishment, while offering greater survivability for their crews. The importance of that assessment cannot be overstated.
Based on the Leopard 2A7+, the new model is outfitted with several notable improvements, including the “Trophy” Active Protection System and a better all-around (360-degree) awareness system. The upgraded variant further features the newest generation of passive multi-layer composite modular armor – made up of steel, tungsten, composite filler, and even ceramics.
The 28A model is fitted with a three-man turret that houses the main 120mm L55 smoothbore gun produced by Rheinmetall AG. This is an upgraded version of the L44 gun installed on previous models of the Leopard 2. The L55 is reported to be about 1.3 meters (4.2 feet) longer, which gives it higher muzzle velocities, and it has greater accuracy, range, and penetration. The improved gun can fire a variety of ordnance, including APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot), HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank), and multipurpose ammunition.
The overall layout of the modernized tanks is similar to other models. It is powered by an upgraded 1,600 hp engine that allows the Leopard 2A8 to reach speeds over 70 kilometers per hour (44 miles per hour).
The Leopard 2—in its different variants—remains in service with 14 European nations, proving it is still NATO’s armored workhorse.
Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image. Wikimedia Commons.
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