On December 19 and 21, 2022, respectively, ceremonies were held for the transfer of the first Leopard 2A4 tank from Germany to the armed forces of Slovakia and the Czech Republic under agreements concluded earlier by Slovakia and the Czech Republic for the purchase of these tanks in exchange for the supply of military equipment to Ukraine. All costs of these deliveries of Leopard 2A4 tanks within the framework of the German Ringtausch (Ring Exchange) program for the transfer of German military equipment to Eastern European countries as compensation for the transfer of Soviet-style military equipment by these countries to Ukraine are fully covered by the German government.
The first Leopard 2A4 tank received by the Czech Army from Germany. Prajslavice (Czech Republic), 12/21/2022 (c) Czech Ministry of DefenseRecall that on October 11, 2022, the Czech Ministry of Defense signed agreements with the German Ministry of Defense and the German Rheinmetall group to receive 14 Leopard 2A4 tanks and one BPz 3 Buff armored recovery vehicle based on the same tank.
The equipment is transferred by the German side free of charge as compensation for the T-72M1 tanks previously transferred by the Czech Republic from storage to Ukraine. The total cost of the Czech contract is 157 million euros, including the repair and partial modernization of Leopard 2A4 tanks, the manufacture of BPz 3 Buffel BREMS, the supply of ammunition, spare parts, related property, three-year service maintenance and training of Czech personnel, and all this cost is fully covered by the German government. Leopard 2A4 tanks transferred to the Czech Republic previously belonged to the armies of Germany and Switzerland, and after their decommissioning were purchased by Rheinmetal Group, which will now carry out their deconservation, repair and partial modernization.
On December 21, the first Leopard 2A4 tank under this agreement was officially handed over to the Czech army in Prajslavice. The ceremony was attended by Czech Defense Minister Jana Chernokhova and State Secretary of the German Defense Ministry Benedict Zimmer. The remaining 13 tanks will be delivered by the end of 2023. The BPz 3 Buff BRAM will be manufactured on the chassis of the Leopard 2A4 tank and will be delivered in mid-2024.
In the Czech Army, the supplied Leopard 2A4 tanks will be part of a separate company in Prajslavice, where the only active tank unit of the Czech Army is stationed - the 73rd Tank Battalion of the 7th Separate Mechanized Brigade. This battalion is currently armed with 30 upgraded T-72M4CZ tanks. The operation of Leopard 2A4 tanks in the Czech Republic will be carried out with the participation of Bundeswehr specialists and is considered as experimental and educational in order to prepare for the transition to the planned purchase of up to 50 Leopard 2A7+ tanks of new construction to replace the T-72M4CZ tank fleet.
In turn, on November 15, 2022, the Slovak Ministry of Defense signed agreements with the German Ministry of Defense and the Rheinmetall Group to receive 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks, which are being transferred by the German side free of charge as compensation for 30 infantry fighting vehicles BMP-1, which Slovakia was supposed to transfer from Ukraine by the end of the year. The agreement also includes the supply of ammunition to Slovakia, the training of crews and technical personnel, and the provision of spare parts and logistical support. Leopard 2A4 tanks, transferred to Slovakia, also previously belonged to "various operating countries", and after their decommissioning were purchased by Rheinmetal Group, which now conducts their deconservation, repair and partial modernization.
On December 19, the first Leopard 2A4 tank under this agreement was officially handed over to the Slovak army in Bratislava. The ceremony was attended by Slovak Defense Ministers Jaroslav Nagy and Germany's Kristina Lambrecht. The remaining 14 tanks will be delivered by the end of 2023.
The Slovak Ministry of Defense announced that 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks being received will enter service with the only regular tank battalion of the Slovak army stationed in Trebišov, which is part of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade. Now the battalion is armed with 30 T-72M1 tanks, and it is stated that 15 Leopard 2A4 tanks "will strengthen the tank battalion by 50%."
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The first Leopard 2A4 tank received by the Czech Army from Germany. In the last picture, one of the modernized T-72M4CZ tanks currently in service with the Czech Army is visible in the background. Prajslavice (Czech Republic), 12/21/2022 (c) Czech Ministry of DefenseThe first Leopard 2A4 tank received by the Slovak Army from Germany. Bratislava, 12/19/2022 (c) Slovak Ministry of Defense and Radovan Stoklasa / Reuters
