Germany offers Poland Leopard 1A5 tanks and Marder BMPs instead of the promised Leopard 2

By: Maksim Panasovskiy | 02.08.2022, 09:13

It is not only Ukraine that cannot get the promised military equipment from Germany. The German government offers a number of alternatives to Leopard 2 tanks, which were to be sent to Poland to replace the T-72s.

What we know

Germany promised to transfer "sufficient quantity" of Leopard 2 tanks to Poland to replace the Soviet T-72 fighting machines. However, it became known that the German government is only capable of sending 20 Leopard 2 tanks. Moreover, deliveries will begin only in a year. This was announced by Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak.

Instead, Berlin offered Warsaw several alternatives. In particular, 100 Leopard A15 tanks and Marder fighting infantry vehicles. By the way, recently there was information that the Marder could go to Ukraine, but we have not heard anything new about it for several weeks.

The Polish military publication Defence24 suggests that the Leopard 2 tanks, which were stored in the warehouse, have become a source of spare parts for tanks in service with the German army and the armies of other countries. According to the UN registry, Germany has more than 600 Leopard 2 tanks.

Source: Defence24, Sueddeutsche Zeitung

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