Jan. 25, 2006

Urban Leopard 2 Variant Planned

CHRISTOPHER F FOSS JDW Land Forces Contributing Editor Munich, Germany

A heavy armoured vehicle based on the Leopard 2 main battle tank (MBT) but optimised for urban operations is being developed by Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW).

Dubbed the Leopard 2 Peace Support Operation (PSO) vehicle, a demonstrator prototype is expected to be shown in public for the first time in mid-2006.

The Leopard 2 MBT's highest level of protection is over the frontal arc, with the emphasis on protection against armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding-sabot (APFSDS) and high-explosive antitank (HEAT) attack. However, recent combat experience has shown that in urban operations the main threat to an MBT can come from a much wider range of angles in the form of mines, improvised explosive devices and direct-fire weapons, such as the widely deployed RPG-7 rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

KMW has already developed and tested a new mine protection kit for the Leopard 2 that is being installed in a batch of vehicles for Germany and Sweden and could also be fitted to the Leopard 2 PSO. This provides a high level of protection against anti-tank mines and explosively formed penetrator-type ordnance.

While the ideal solution wouldbe to extend enhanced protection through a full 360°, this is not possible without increasing the overall combat weight to an unacceptable level.

On the Leopard 2 PSO, new advanced passive armour side-skirts will be fitted above the front five road wheels and extra turret side armour added that extends to the rear of the turret bustle.

The optics of the Leopard 2 PSO will also be protected and an integrated command and control system fitted. The machine gun on the commander's cupola will be replaced by a KMW remote-controlled weapon station on the turret roof to the rear of the loader's hatch. This can be equipped with a 7.62 mm or 12.7 mm machine gun or a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. A searchlight will be mounted coax ially with the main

05 June 2006
Eurosatory: Giat heralds Leclerc MBT for urban operations

By Christopher F Foss Jane's Land Forces Contributing Editor
Satory, France

Giat Industries of France will unveil at Eurosatory a special version of its Leclerc main battle tank (MBT) optimised for urban operations.

Called AZUR (Action en Zone URban), the newly configured Leclerc has been developed by Giat Industries as a private venture, although the French Army has had some input into the development. According to Giat Industries, the French Army will evaluate the Leclerc AZUR from late in 2006.

For improved survivability the Leclerc AZUR has been fitted with an enhanced protection package that provides additional protection over the sides and rear of the vehicle.

New side skirts made of an advanced composite material cover the sides of the crew compartment, while bar armour has been fitted around the rear of the hull and turret to neutralise attacks from rocket-propelled grenades. There is also additional protection over the top rear engine decks against attack from petrol bombs.