The Leopard 2 A7A1, set for active service in 2025, will enhance Germany’s 203rd Armoured Battalion, with plans to deploy this unit to the German combat brigade stationed in Lithuania. The German defence procurement agency (BAAINBw) confirmed that the tank will soon begin testing, with final approvals anticipated by summer 2025, at which point the first units will be distributed to soldiers.
The Trophy system, integrated with the Leopard’s on-board computer and battlefield management systems, includes an advanced targeting locator. This system identifies the source of incoming threats, transmitting precise coordinates to the tank’s management system for rapid automated countermeasures, significantly improving defensive response time.
In 2021, the Bundeswehr agreed with Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (now KNDS Deutschland) to produce 17 Leopard 2A7A1 tanks and a test vehicle, with deliveries starting in 2024. A concurrent contract was also signed with Israel for Trophy components, munitions, and specialised tools, part of a EUR 120 million programme co-funded by Germany and Israel.
KNDS’s new Leopard 2 chassis accommodates the Trophy system’s power requirements, with modifications including a 20 kW power source and improved cooling for the upgraded MTU Friedrichshafen engine, ensuring optimal mobility despite the increased tank weight of 70 tonnes.
The Leopard 2A7A1 is expected to act as an interim solution until the more advanced Leopard 2A8 enters service in 2025. The A8 model, incorporating an enhanced, lighter Trophy system optimised for drone defence, represents the next evolution of the Leopard series with Trophy fully integrated into its turret, contrasting the A7A1’s add-on system setup.