The Bundeswehr will receive 18 brand new “Leopard 2” A8 tanks. The Bundestag approved a good half a billion euros for this. In addition, the sale of older “Leopard 2” variants from Switzerland to the Rheinmetall group is getting closer.
As compensation for tank deliveries to Ukraine, the Bundeswehr will receive 18 new Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks. The Budget Committee of the Bundestag approved around 525 million euros for this. The models replace the 18 examples of Leopard 2A6 tanks that Germany had delivered to Ukraine.
The FDP budget politician Karsten Klein spoke after the meeting of an “important building block for the defense capabilities of the armed forces”. Not only is the material given to Ukraine replaced, but the main battle tank is being equipped with new defense systems. The Leopard 2 is the main weapon of the German armored forces.
Switzerland allows older models to be bought back
In addition to the new models, Germany will probably also get older tanks of the A4 type. The government of Switzerland gave the green light for the resale of 25 decommissioned tanks to the German manufacturer Rheinmetall. The condition, however, is that the weapons are not exported to Ukraine.
In February, Germany’s Economics Minister Robert Habeck and Defense Minister Boris Pistorius asked for the Leopard 2 tanks to be sold back to the German manufacturer Rheinmetall. This should replace tanks that will be delivered to Ukraine.
The Swiss Army currently has 134 reconditioned Leopard 2 A4 WE tanks and another 96 mothballed tanks. “No further use is planned for 25 of the 96 tanks decommissioned by the Swiss army,” the Federal Council said. “Therefore, this number can be decommissioned and sold without preventing the Army from meeting its own needs.”
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine prompted Switzerland to confront its longstanding constitutional neutrality. Among other things, this prohibits the export of Swiss-made or Swiss-owned weapons to warring parties.