Hungarian sources reported that on August 22, 2023, the first "reference" samples of the Leopard 2A7HU tank ordered by Hungary and a universal armored repair and evacuation vehicle were delivered by road from Germany to Hungary at the base of the only deployed 11th tank Battalion of the 25th Infantry Brigade (MH 25. Klapka György Lövészdandár) in Tata Wisent 2 machines. It is reported that these samples will be accepted and approved by the Hungarian Ministry of Defense, after which they must be returned to the manufacturer of the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW / KNDS) for use as "reference" samples in the production of serial machines. Actual deliveries of 44 Leopard 2A7HU production tanks ordered by Hungary and five Wisent 2 vehicles will begin from the end of 2023.
The first "reference" sample of the Leopard 2A7HU tank produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW / KNDS) delivered to Hungary, 08/22/2023 (from) Facebook / LHSN.hu
Recall that in December 2018, the Hungarian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW, now KNDS) for the purchase of 44 Leopard 2A7+ main tanks (in execution for Hungary received the designation Leopard 2A7HU), 24 self-propelled howitzers PzH 2000 caliber 155 mm / 52 new construction, as well as 12 Leopard 2A4 tanks (Leopard 2A4HU) from the availability for use as training, eight new-built armored vehicles based on the Leopard 2 tank (five Wisent 2 armored recovery vehicles and three Leguan tank bridge pavers) and 13 Rheinmetall RMMV HX and TGS heavy military vehicles. The official value of the contract was announced as more than 160 billion Hungarian forints (about 500 million euros), but actually amounts to 1.5 billion euros.
12 Leopard 2A4HU training tanks purchased under this contract were delivered to Hungary during 2020. The delivery of tanks of the new Leopard 2A7HU production and vehicles based on them is expected from 2023 to 2025. Deliveries of the newly built PzH 2000 ACS were started in August 2022 and should be carried out by the end of 2023.
The production of Leopard 2A7+ (Leopard 2A7HU) tanks and PzH 2000 self-propelled guns for Hungary is carried out by KMW in cooperation with Rheinmetall Group, the latter manufactures the main armament (120 mm Rh120 L55A1 tank guns and 155 mm/52 howitzers), fire control systems, as well as armored hulls for Leopard 2A7HU tanks ordered by Hungary and self-propelled howitzers PzH 2000. Rheinmertall Group also manufactures chassis parts for the PzH 2000 ACS. The assembly of the PZH 2000 is carried out at the KMW plant in Kassel.
For KMW, the contract for the supply of Leopard 2A7+ tanks and PzH 2000 self-propelled guns of Hungary became the first contract for the production and supply of new tanks of the Leopad 2 family and these self-propelled guns after the 2013 contract for the supply of 62 Leopard 2A7+ tanks and 24 PzH 2000 self-propelled guns to Qatar, implemented in 2015-2017. Thus, the Hungarian contract made it possible for the German industry to maintain production lines for the production of Leopard 2 tanks and PzH 2000 self-propelled guns.
Wisent 2 BREMS are manufactured on the chassis of Leopard 2 tanks of new construction by the German company FFG (Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH) in Flensburg, although the same KMW (KNDS) acts as the lead contractor for their supply to Hungary. As you know, Wisent 2 machines can also be used as engineering with the installation of additional equipment.
The Leopard 2 tanks received by Hungary should make up the match of the only deployed 11th tank Battalion of the 25th Infantry Brigade in the Hungarian Army in Tata. Until 2020, this battalion was armed with only 15 T-72M1 tanks. The PzH 2000 self-propelled guns are being adopted by the only deployed 101st artillery Division in the Hungarian army, which previously had only 12 towed 152 mm D-20 howitzers.
The first "reference" samples of the Leopard 2A7HU tank produced by the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW/ KNDS) and the universal armored repair and evacuation vehicle Wisent 2 built by the German company FFG (Flensburger Fahrzeugbau GmbH) delivered to Hungary, 08/22/2023 (from) Facebook / LHSN.hu
