The German government will fund the repairs as partial compensation for Portugal’s transfer of three Leopard 2A6 tanks to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Signed by representatives of both countries on November 28, 2023, the renovations are set to commence this year.
Before the agreement, representatives from the German defence company KNDS Germany (KMW) conducted a preliminary inspection of the tanks.
The German government will cover the renovation costs, estimated at 20 million EUR, over three years, with 10 million EUR for the current year and 5 million EUR for each of the following two years.
This deal is crucial for the Portuguese army, as reportedly at least half of their Leopard 2A6 tanks have been inoperative due to a lack of consistent spare parts purchases.
The Leopard 2A6 is a German main battle tank, an advanced version of the Leopard 2. It features a longer barrel and enhanced mine protection. Its main armament is a Rheinmetall 120 mm L/55 smoothbore gun, capable of firing projectiles at higher velocities for increased armor penetration.
The tank carries 42 rounds in the hull and turret, and is equipped with a 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun.
