According to a “Spiegel” report, the list of tanks promised by the Defense Minister has long been available in the Defense Ministry. The list clearly shows how many and which Leopard 2 tanks Germany can deliver to Ukraine. The details.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announced on Friday at a Ukraine meeting in Ramstein that he wanted to examine the Bundeswehr’s available Leopard tanks. As the “Spiegel” reports, such a tank list has existed for a long time. The Ministry of Defense is said to have had a detailed table of Leopard models since early summer 2022. It shows which Leopard tanks are available in the force and which could be delivered to Ukraine.
Accordingly, the Bundeswehr has a total of 312 Leopard 2 tanks of different models. 99 of them were in maintenance and repair work in the defense industry last May. According to the report, another is already in isolation. That leaves 212 tanks of the 2A5, 2A6, 2A7 and 2A7V series, the latter being the most modern version of the tank system.
19 Leopard 2A5s from the Bundeswehr stocks can probably be handed over to the Ukraine, reports the “Spiegel”, citing insider circles. Currently, these are tied into combat exercises of the troops, simulating enemy tanks. The troops could probably do without these tanks as they are only used for training purposes, it is said.
Poland announced that it would like to supply battle tanks to Ukraine without German permission. Our eastern neighbors have the older 2A4 model, which the report says could be industrially upgraded to the same level as the 2A5 to provide Ukraine with a full tank battalion. The Bundeswehr currently consists of 44 Leopard 2 tanks.
The revealed list could now put pressure on the new Secretary of Defense to act. Pistorius announced that he would like to examine a package solution with other partners. This solution could already exist now.
