Leopard 3

Leopard 3
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originGermany
Production history
DesignerKNDS Deutschland, Rheinmetall and Hensoldt[1]
DesignedSince 2025[2]
Developed fromLeopard 2A8
ProducedExpected in the 2030s
Specifications
Crew3 (driver, gunner, commander)
ShellDM11, DM13, DM23
Shell weight30 kg (66 lb)
Caliber130mm
Effective firing range10 km (6.2 mi)
Main
armament
130mm Rheinmetall L/51 smoothbore gun

The Leopard 3, also known as the Leopard 2AX,[3] is a fourth-generation German main battle tank (MBT).[4][5]

Germany plans to procure the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) as a successor to the Leopard 2 (current variants 2A5, 2A6, 2A7, and upcoming variant 2A8). Since the MGCS is not expected to be ready before the 2040s, the German Army expressed a requirement for an interim solution to address immediate operational needs. The development of the Leopard 3 was kicked off in Early 2025 and it is expected to enter production in the early 2030s.[6][7][8] It is designed with a service life of 25 years.[9] As of July 2025, the German Army has expressed a total requirement for 1,000 additional tanks, which would be composed of a mix of Leopard 2A8, Leopard 3, and MGCS units.[10]

Design

Early design information

The changes that were mentioned from the Leopard 2A8 include:[9]

  • A new tank gun: Rheinmetall Rh-130 L/51 [de] with a 50% increased kinetic energy compared to the Rh-120.
  • Munitions:[9][11]
  • A new engine from Liebherr.[9][12] KNDS Deutschland received a contract to offer an alternative engine with the project OLYMP, with the aim to improve the mobility. The project OLYMP also includes a transmission, steering, and cooling systems.
  • Hensoldt would supply the MUSS 2.0 countermeasure system against modern ATGM.[9][13]
  • Remote turret with an automatic loader and a crew of three people.

Operators

Potential operators

Germany
The German Army operates 312 tanks as of 2026:
The German Army ordered:
Future plans:
  • As of July 2025, the German Army plans to order up to 1,000 additional MBTs.[10] This would likely include a mix of Leopard 2A8 (of which production has started), the intermediate solution of the Leopard 2AX / Leopard 3 and the MGCS.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Bundeswehr commissions development of 130mm ammunition as well as new protection system and engine for Leopard 2 main battle tanks" (in German). Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  2. ^ "Germany Kicks Off Work On Leopard 3 Main Battle Tank". twz.com. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
  3. ^ Triffaux. "Germany Develops Next-Gen Leopard 2AX as Alternative to Joint MGCS Project and Existing Leopard 2A8 Tank". armyrecognition.com. Retrieved 2024-12-09.
  4. ^ Germany Kicks Off Work On Leopard 3 Main Battle Tank
  5. ^ YouTube: The Leopard 3 main battle tank is coming soon
  6. ^ Newdick, Thomas (2025-02-07). "Germany Kicks Off Work On Leopard 3 Main Battle Tank". The War Zone. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  7. ^ The " Leopard 3" is emerging as the real German interim tank for 2030
  8. ^ YouTube: Leopard 3 - the future German main battle tank
  9. ^ a b c d e "Bundeswehr beauftrag Entwicklung von 130mm-Munition sowie neuem Schutzsystem und Triebwerk für Leopard 2 Kampfpanzer" (in German). 2025-02-05. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  10. ^ a b c Lagneau, Laurent (2025-07-05). "Berlin envisage d'acquérir 1 000 chars Leopard et 2 500 blindés Boxer supplémentaires pour 25 milliards d'euros". Zone Militaire (in French). Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  11. ^ sam (2025-02-06). "Germany initiates development of Leopard 3 -". Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  12. ^ "Entwicklung des Leopard 2 AX beauftragt » Sicherheit & Verteidigung" (in German). 2025-02-06. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  13. ^ "MUSS 2.0". HENSOLDT. Retrieved 2025-07-05.
  14. ^ "Germany to buy Leopard tanks, howitzers to make up for Ukraine supplies - source". Reuters. 2023-05-24. Retrieved 2023-05-26.
  15. ^ "Bundeswehr erhält 105 zusätzliche Leopard 2 A8 Kampfpanzer" (in German). 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
Stub icon

This military vehicle article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information.

Content Disclaimer

Informasi ini disarikan dari Wikipedia dan disajikan kembali untuk tujuan edukasi. Konten tersedia di bawah lisensi CC BY-SA 3.0. Kami tidak bertanggung jawab atas ketidakakuratan data yang bersumber dari kontribusi publik tersebut.

  1. The information displayed on this website is sourced in part or in whole from Wikipedia and has been adapted for the purpose of restating it. We strive to provide accurate and relevant information, however:
  2. There is no guarantee of absolute accuracy. Wikipedia is an open, collaborative project that can be edited by anyone, so information is subject to change.
  3. It is not intended to constitute professional advice. The content displayed is for informational and educational purposes only. For important decisions (e.g., medical, legal, or financial), please consult a professional.
  4. Content copyright. Wikipedia is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License (CC BY-SA). This means that content may be reused with appropriate attribution and shared under a similar license.
  5. Responsible use. Any risk arising from the use of information from this website is entirely the responsibility of the user.