Germany to upgrade Leopard

Germany released funds to upgrade 104 Leopard 2 tanks, contracting Rheinmetall to carry out the modernization. The $139.4 million award will see 68 Leopard 2A4, 16 Leopard 2A6 and 20 Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks modernized "to state-of-the-art design status," eliminating obsolescent features in the tank's fire-control computers and control consoles and install new laser rangefinders and thermal imaging devices. A new L55A1 gun will also be added to the 68 Leopard 2A4 MBTs, enabling them to fire the latest armor-piercing ammunition in the upper pressure zone. The first tanks will be completed by 2020.