War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Leopard 2A4

2023-02-12T19:47:12Z

U22884032:

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}<nowiki>}</nowiki>
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A4 Protection Density Visualisation.png|thumb|Leopard 2A4 [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]

The Leopard 2A4's kinetic protection is reasonable, with the turret cheeks near-invulnerable to all but the most powerful rounds (e.g. CL3143) and the upper front plate capable of protecting against less powerful rounds (e.g. M735) - however besides these sections the remainder of the vehicle is largely vulnerable to high-powered kinetic rounds; of note are the weak lower front plate and the gun mantlet, both of which are reasonably visible targets, as well as the gunner's optics.

The vehicle sports significantly better all-round chemical protection, with an upper hull and turret essentially immune to all but the most powerful ATGMs frontally, with upwards of 800mm worth of equivalent protection in places. Despite this, it's advisable to be wary of incoming ATGMs as a well-placed round may sneak past the heavily protected areas - and some missiles such as those of the ADATS will slice straight through even the turret cheeks.

As with most other MBTs, the 2A4 is particularly vulnerable from the sides and back.

The Leopard 2A4 is reasonably survivable, with some degree of crew spacing. However, from certain angles, the crew are placed in a straight line and successful penetration may impact three of the four crew members, resulting in a crew knock-out. In addition, well-placed side shots may impact all three turret crew members.

Ammunition is stored in the primary ammunition storage in the rear of the turret, or in the secondary storage next to the driver. The primary rack provides crew protection through the use of blow-out panels, however only has space for 15 rounds. When more than 16 rounds are taken to battle, ammunition will be stored in the significantly more vulnerable hull rack.

The Leopard 2A4's protection proves acceptable for long-range combat, although it's ill-advised to remain in one location for any extended period of time to avoid opposing vehicles being able to hone their shots onto your weak spots. The 2A4's protection should not be relied upon in urban or other close-range environments.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear, and roof, turret sides, rear, and roof)
* High hardness rolled armour (hull front, turret front, gun mantlet)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet frame)
* Composite screen (front side skirts)
* Structural stell (rear side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm ''Lower rear hull'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 100 mm ''Composite screening'' || 20 mm (11°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Lower plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 35 mm (8°) ''Front glacis'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull sides and engine deck'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 35 mm (32-44°) ''Cheeks incl. Gunner optics'' 120+16 mm ''Mantlet'' || 35 mm ''Forward'' 15 mm ''Rear'' || 10+25 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside'' || 40 mm (82-85°) ''Forward centre'' 14 mm (72-77°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm ''Rear incl. cupolas''
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''''Upper + Lower glacis''''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
!
|-
| Turret || '''''Turret cheeks''''' 420 - 800 mm ''Kinetic'' 535 - 820 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet''''' 100 - 270 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 480 mm ''Chemical'' || '''''Side armour''''' 194 - 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 280 - 400 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is powered by an MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces a whopping 1,500 hp (1,100 KW), resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of slightly over 27 hp per tonne, compared to the ratio of the early Abrams and identical to the T-80U. As such, the {{PAGENAME}} is quite mobile despite weighing over 55 tonnes, comfortably able to reach 72 km/h on-road and well capable of keeping up with its competitors. This allows for an active, aggressive playstyle, using the Leopard's high speed and good acceleration characteristics to get into an early flanking position or take early cap points - though it is important to keep in mind that opposition forces might attempt the same.

The {{PAGENAME}} has a maximum reverse speed of 31 km/h which it reaches easily, allowing for a quick retreat in sub-optimal situations.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The first modifications to research should be Parts, FPE, and the DM13 round. After that, aim for the NVD, DM23, Laser rangefinder, or mobility upgrades, depending on the desired playstyle.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The famous Rheinmetall L/44 120 mm cannon is mounted as the primary armament on the Leopard 2A4, offering a balance of firepower, accuracy and sustained rate of fire. The 2A4 has three rounds available to it: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS and DM23 APFSDS. Of these, only DM12 is available when the vehicle is stock, with DM13 a tier 1 and DM23 a tier 4 modification. The L/44 is reasonably accurate at long range with any ammunition, however minor round deviation may be evident at extreme ranges (over 2,000 m).

It's advisable to primarily rely on the best available APFSDS round for engaging other MBTs, however, retaining a couple of DM12 rounds can prove valuable against lighter vehicles such as the ADATS.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack located within a blow-out containment
* It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank and emptied first when firing.
* If you pack 16 ''(+26)'' shells, it will keep the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 2. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The 2A4 is equipped with one pintle-mounted machine gun and one coaxial machine gun. These can be used as an anti-air deterrent or for clearing out light obstacles and crew from open vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,600 (200) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+75° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Leopard 2A4 may feel somewhat sluggish when stock, and the DM12 HEATFS round may appear to be relatively ineffective. Prior to researching improved rounds and engine modifications, it may be wise to play conservatively.

Once the vehicle's modifications are all researched, however, the 2A4 becomes significantly more mobile and has a competitive, albeit not impressive round in the DM23 APFSDS. The 2A4 can be used comfortably in both urban and rural environments, providing the vehicle's weaknesses are kept in mind. While it is capable in most forms of engagement, it does lack the precision of the British Challenger MBTs or the extreme round velocities of the Soviet T-64/T-80 series. The 2A4 also has a particularly large and blocky profile, making for a particularly visible target in many situations.

Considering the above, a Leopard 2A4 player should utilise its great mobility and competitive gun to get into early positions to pick off unsuspecting targets, rather than attempting to engage opposing forces head-on.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful engine, high top speed and acceleration
* Good neutral steering system
* Good gunner sight magnification for long-range engagements
* Reasonably high-velocity kinetic rounds
* Competent DM23 APFSDS
* Turret armour is mostly effective for hull-down engagements
* Primary ammunition is contained within a storage unit with blow-out panels
* Generation 1 thermals in the gunner sight

'''Cons:'''

* Hull armour is mediocre, particularly against kinetic rounds
* The stock DM12 HEATFS round can prove relatively ineffectual when compared to DM13/DM23, particularly against targets with ERA
* The gunner's optics are a weak spot, enemies who know how to aim can cripple your gun and kill your crew
* The gun mantlet is relatively weak while being quite prominent, penetration can disable the gun or knock turret crew out
* The turret cheeks can be penetrated by most APFSDS rounds when hit at the right angle
* Secondary ammunition storage is extremely vulnerable, although this is avoidable by carrying no more than 16 rounds
* Both machine guns are relatively light calibre, suffer from mediocre gun elevation and will not prove to be much more an annoyance to aircraft, particularly helicopters
* Blowout panels are unreliable and have a low capacity

== History ==

Based on the testing results gathered from the various different [[Leopard 2K]] prototypes, a new Leopard 2 prototype was constructed that would be more representative of the final version of the vehicle. Designated as Leopard 2AV, the new prototype featured a redesigned hull and turret over the Leopard 2K. Furthermore, the prototype was tested with two different cannons; the British rifled [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7]] and the German [[Rheinmetall L44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rheinmetall L44 smoothbore cannon]].

In 1976, the Leopard 2AV was sent overseas to the United States to be comparatively tested against the new American state-of-the-art [[XM-1 (Chrysler)|XM1 Abrams]]. During testing, the Leopard 2AV proved itself as a good counterpart to the Abrams, outperforming its competitor in terms of fire accuracy, whilst demonstrating somewhat inferior protection and gun handling. Upon arriving back to its homeland with positive testing results, the decision was made to begin mass production of the Leopard 2 in 1977.

The production version Leopard 2, however, differed from the AV prototype in receiving an increased level of protection before mass production began. Mass production of the Leopard 2 started in 1979 with the Leopard 2A0 forming the first batch that would enter service with the German Bundeswehr in late 1979.

Throughout the production period of the early Leopard 2 versions, modernization and upgrades were being applied on the assembly line in order to keep the newest Leopards up to the latest standards. These modernization efforts mostly involved the upgrading of internal modules such as the aiming and communications systems. As a result of this, all early Leopard 2s (A0-A4) were visually neigh identical to each other. The Leopard 2A4 was the final early Leopard 2 variant before the more advanced and heavily upgraded subsequent Leopard 2 versions made their appearance as part of a new wave of modernization efforts.

A total of 695 Leopard 2A4s were built out of the total of 2.125 early Leopard 2s that were manufactured between 1979 - 1991. The Leopard 2 and its variants served primarily with the German Bundeswehr, but a number of export vehicles were sold to nations world-wide, ranging from Canada and Chile, over Denmark and Austria to Greece and Turkey to name a few.

''-From [[wt:en/news/5539-development-leopard-2a4-setting-the-standard-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2a4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Photos
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Leopard_2A4_at_Dresden_Museum.jpg|A Leopard 2A4 on display at the Bundeswehr Military History Museum.
File:Austrian_Leopard-2A4_Snow.jpg|Leopard 2A4 in Austrian service.
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|akxAxhPBA3k|'''The Shooting Range #101''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:31 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://mtu-online-shop.com/media/files_public/952ae139f0fae50b15702ddf661cad33/3061601_MTU_Defense_Brochure.pdf MTU Defense Brochure]
* [[wt:en/news/5539-development-leopard-2a4-setting-the-standard-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A4: Setting The Standard]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A4

2023-02-12T19:43:05Z

U22884032: /* History */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}<nowiki>}</nowiki>
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A4 Protection Density Visualisation.png|thumb|Leopard 2A4 [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]

The Leopard 2A4's kinetic protection is reasonable, with the turret cheeks near-invulnerable to all but the most powerful rounds (e.g. CL3143) and the upper front plate capable of protecting against less powerful rounds (e.g. M735) - however besides these sections the remainder of the vehicle is largely vulnerable to high-powered kinetic rounds; of note are the weak lower front plate and the gun mantlet, both of which are reasonably visible targets, as well as the gunner's optics.

The vehicle sports significantly better all-round chemical protection, with an upper hull and turret essentially immune to all but the most powerful ATGMs frontally, with upwards of 800mm worth of equivalent protection in places. Despite this, it's advisable to be wary of incoming ATGMs as a well-placed round may sneak past the heavily protected areas - and some missiles such as those of the ADATS will slice straight through even the turret cheeks.

As with most other MBTs, the 2A4 is particularly vulnerable from the sides and back.

The Leopard 2A4 is reasonably survivable, with some degree of crew spacing. However, from certain angles, the crew are placed in a straight line and successful penetration may impact three of the four crew members, resulting in a crew knock-out. In addition, well-placed side shots may impact all three turret crew members.

Ammunition is stored in the primary ammunition storage in the rear of the turret, or in the secondary storage next to the driver. The primary rack provides crew protection through the use of blow-out panels, however only has space for 15 rounds. When more than 16 rounds are taken to battle, ammunition will be stored in the significantly more vulnerable hull rack.

The Leopard 2A4's protection proves acceptable for long-range combat, although it's ill-advised to remain in one location for any extended period of time to avoid opposing vehicles being able to hone their shots onto your weak spots. The 2A4's protection should not be relied upon in urban or other close-range environments.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear, and roof, turret sides, rear, and roof)
* High hardness rolled armour (hull front, turret front, gun mantlet)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet frame)
* Composite screen (front side skirts)
* Structural stell (rear side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm ''Lower rear hull'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 100 mm ''Composite screening'' || 20 mm (11°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Lower plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 35 mm (8°) ''Front glacis'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull sides and engine deck'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 35 mm (32-44°) ''Cheeks incl. Gunner optics'' 120+16 mm ''Mantlet'' || 35 mm ''Forward'' 15 mm ''Rear'' || 10+25 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside'' || 40 mm (82-85°) ''Forward centre'' 14 mm (72-77°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm ''Rear incl. cupolas''
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''''Upper + Lower glacis''''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
!
|-
| Turret || '''''Turret cheeks''''' 420 - 800 mm ''Kinetic'' 535 - 820 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet''''' 100 - 270 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 480 mm ''Chemical'' || '''''Side armour''''' 194 - 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 280 - 400 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is powered by an MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces a whopping 1,500 hp (1,100 KW), resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of slightly over 27 hp per tonne, compared to the ratio of the early Abrams and identical to the T-80U. As such, the {{PAGENAME}} is quite mobile despite weighing over 55 tonnes, comfortably able to reach 72 km/h on-road and well capable of keeping up with its competitors. This allows for an active, aggressive playstyle, using the Leopard's high speed and good acceleration characteristics to get into an early flanking position or take early cap points - though it is important to keep in mind that opposition forces might attempt the same.

The {{PAGENAME}} has a maximum reverse speed of 31 km/h which it reaches easily, allowing for a quick retreat in sub-optimal situations.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The first modifications to research should be Parts, FPE, and the DM13 round. After that, aim for the NVD, DM23, Laser rangefinder, or mobility upgrades, depending on the desired playstyle.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The famous Rheinmetall L/44 120 mm cannon is mounted as the primary armament on the Leopard 2A4, offering a balance of firepower, accuracy and sustained rate of fire. The 2A4 has three rounds available to it: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS and DM23 APFSDS. Of these, only DM12 is available when the vehicle is stock, with DM13 a tier 1 and DM23 a tier 4 modification. The L/44 is reasonably accurate at long range with any ammunition, however minor round deviation may be evident at extreme ranges (over 2,000 m).

It's advisable to primarily rely on the best available APFSDS round for engaging other MBTs, however, retaining a couple of DM12 rounds can prove valuable against lighter vehicles such as the ADATS.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack located within a blow-out containment
* It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank and emptied first when firing.
* If you pack 16 ''(+26)'' shells, it will keep the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 2. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The 2A4 is equipped with one pintle-mounted machine gun and one coaxial machine gun. These can be used as an anti-air deterrent or for clearing out light obstacles and crew from open vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,600 (200) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+75° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Leopard 2A4 may feel somewhat sluggish when stock, and the DM12 HEATFS round may appear to be relatively ineffective. Prior to researching improved rounds and engine modifications, it may be wise to play conservatively.

Once the vehicle's modifications are all researched, however, the 2A4 becomes significantly more mobile and has a competitive, albeit not impressive round in the DM23 APFSDS. The 2A4 can be used comfortably in both urban and rural environments, providing the vehicle's weaknesses are kept in mind. While it is capable in most forms of engagement, it does lack the precision of the British Challenger MBTs or the extreme round velocities of the Soviet T-64/T-80 series. The 2A4 also has a particularly large and blocky profile, making for a particularly visible target in many situations.

Considering the above, a Leopard 2A4 player should utilise its great mobility and competitive gun to get into early positions to pick off unsuspecting targets, rather than attempting to engage opposing forces head-on.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful engine, high top speed and acceleration
* Good neutral steering system
* Good gunner sight magnification for long-range engagements
* Reasonably high-velocity kinetic rounds
* Competent DM23 APFSDS
* Turret armour is mostly effective for hull-down engagements
* Primary ammunition is contained within a storage unit with blow-out panels
* Generation 1 thermals in the gunner sight

'''Cons:'''

* Hull armour is mediocre, particularly against kinetic rounds
* The stock DM12 HEATFS round can prove relatively ineffectual when compared to DM13/DM23, particularly against targets with ERA
* The gunner's optics are a weak spot, enemies who know how to aim can cripple your gun and kill your crew
* The gun mantlet is relatively weak while being quite prominent, penetration can disable the gun or knock turret crew out
* The turret cheeks can be penetrated by most APFSDS rounds when hit at the right angle
* Secondary ammunition storage is extremely vulnerable, although this is avoidable by carrying no more than 16 rounds
* Both machine guns are relatively light calibre, suffer from mediocre gun elevation and will not prove to be much more an annoyance to aircraft, particularly helicopters
* Blowout panels are unreliable and have a low capacity

== History ==

Based on the testing results gathered from the various different [[Leopard 2K]] prototypes, a new Leopard 2 prototype was constructed that would be more representative of the final version of the vehicle. Designated as Leopard 2AV, the new prototype featured a redesigned hull and turret over the Leopard 2K. Furthermore, the prototype was tested with two different cannons; the British rifled [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7]] and the German [[Rheinmetall L44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rheinmetall L44 smoothbore cannon]].

In 1976, the Leopard 2AV was sent overseas to the United States to be comparatively tested against the new American state-of-the-art [[XM-1 (Chrysler)|XM1 Abrams]]. During testing, the Leopard 2AV proved itself as a good counterpart to the Abrams, outperforming its competitor in terms of fire accuracy, whilst demonstrating somewhat inferior protection and gun handling. Upon arriving back to its homeland with positive testing results, the decision was made to begin mass production of the Leopard 2 in 1977.

The production version Leopard 2, however, differed from the AV prototype in receiving an increased level of protection before mass production began. Mass production of the Leopard 2 started in 1979 with the Leopard 2A0 forming the first batch that would enter service with the German Bundeswehr in late 1970s.

Throughout the production period of the early Leopard 2 versions, modernization and upgrades were being applied on the assembly line in order to keep the newest Leopards up to the latest standards. These modernization efforts mostly involved the upgrading of internal modules such as the aiming and communications systems. As a result of this, all early Leopard 2s (A0-A4) were visually neigh identical to each other. The Leopard 2A4 was the final early Leopard 2 variant before the more advanced and heavily upgraded subsequent Leopard 2 versions made their appearance as part of a new wave of modernization efforts.

A total of 695 Leopard 2A4s were built out of the total of 2.125 early Leopard 2s that were manufactured between 1979 - 1991. The Leopard 2 and its variants served primarily with the German Bundeswehr, but a number of export vehicles were sold to nations world-wide, ranging from Canada and Chile, over Denmark and Austria to Greece and Turkey to name a few.

''-From [[wt:en/news/5539-development-leopard-2a4-setting-the-standard-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2a4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Photos
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Leopard_2A4_at_Dresden_Museum.jpg|A Leopard 2A4 on display at the Bundeswehr Military History Museum.
File:Austrian_Leopard-2A4_Snow.jpg|Leopard 2A4 in Austrian service.
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|akxAxhPBA3k|'''The Shooting Range #101''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:31 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://mtu-online-shop.com/media/files_public/952ae139f0fae50b15702ddf661cad33/3061601_MTU_Defense_Brochure.pdf MTU Defense Brochure]
* [[wt:en/news/5539-development-leopard-2a4-setting-the-standard-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A4: Setting The Standard]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A4

2023-02-12T19:42:48Z

U22884032: /* Description */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}<nowiki>}</nowiki>
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A4 Protection Density Visualisation.png|thumb|Leopard 2A4 [[Protection Density Visualisation]]]]

The Leopard 2A4's kinetic protection is reasonable, with the turret cheeks near-invulnerable to all but the most powerful rounds (e.g. CL3143) and the upper front plate capable of protecting against less powerful rounds (e.g. M735) - however besides these sections the remainder of the vehicle is largely vulnerable to high-powered kinetic rounds; of note are the weak lower front plate and the gun mantlet, both of which are reasonably visible targets, as well as the gunner's optics.

The vehicle sports significantly better all-round chemical protection, with an upper hull and turret essentially immune to all but the most powerful ATGMs frontally, with upwards of 800mm worth of equivalent protection in places. Despite this, it's advisable to be wary of incoming ATGMs as a well-placed round may sneak past the heavily protected areas - and some missiles such as those of the ADATS will slice straight through even the turret cheeks.

As with most other MBTs, the 2A4 is particularly vulnerable from the sides and back.

The Leopard 2A4 is reasonably survivable, with some degree of crew spacing. However, from certain angles, the crew are placed in a straight line and successful penetration may impact three of the four crew members, resulting in a crew knock-out. In addition, well-placed side shots may impact all three turret crew members.

Ammunition is stored in the primary ammunition storage in the rear of the turret, or in the secondary storage next to the driver. The primary rack provides crew protection through the use of blow-out panels, however only has space for 15 rounds. When more than 16 rounds are taken to battle, ammunition will be stored in the significantly more vulnerable hull rack.

The Leopard 2A4's protection proves acceptable for long-range combat, although it's ill-advised to remain in one location for any extended period of time to avoid opposing vehicles being able to hone their shots onto your weak spots. The 2A4's protection should not be relied upon in urban or other close-range environments.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear, and roof, turret sides, rear, and roof)
* High hardness rolled armour (hull front, turret front, gun mantlet)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet frame)
* Composite screen (front side skirts)
* Structural stell (rear side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' 30 mm (82°) ''Driver's hatch'' || 10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm ''Lower rear hull'' 5 mm ''Side Skirts'' 100 mm ''Composite screening'' || 20 mm (11°) ''Upper plate'' 20 mm (17°) ''Lower plate'' 20 mm (50°) ''Lower glacis'' || 35 mm (8°) ''Front glacis'' 20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull sides and engine deck'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 35 mm (32-44°) ''Cheeks incl. Gunner optics'' 120+16 mm ''Mantlet'' || 35 mm ''Forward'' 15 mm ''Rear'' || 10+25 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside'' || 40 mm (82-85°) ''Forward centre'' 14 mm (72-77°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm ''Rear incl. cupolas''
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''''Upper + Lower glacis''''' 90 - 350 mm ''Kinetic'' 243 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
!
|-
| Turret || '''''Turret cheeks''''' 420 - 800 mm ''Kinetic'' 535 - 820 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet''''' 100 - 270 mm ''Kinetic'' 300 - 480 mm ''Chemical'' || '''''Side armour''''' 194 - 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 280 - 400 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is powered by an MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces a whopping 1,500 hp (1,100 KW), resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of slightly over 27 hp per tonne, compared to the ratio of the early Abrams and identical to the T-80U. As such, the {{PAGENAME}} is quite mobile despite weighing over 55 tonnes, comfortably able to reach 72 km/h on-road and well capable of keeping up with its competitors. This allows for an active, aggressive playstyle, using the Leopard's high speed and good acceleration characteristics to get into an early flanking position or take early cap points - though it is important to keep in mind that opposition forces might attempt the same.

The {{PAGENAME}} has a maximum reverse speed of 31 km/h which it reaches easily, allowing for a quick retreat in sub-optimal situations.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The first modifications to research should be Parts, FPE, and the DM13 round. After that, aim for the NVD, DM23, Laser rangefinder, or mobility upgrades, depending on the desired playstyle.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The famous Rheinmetall L/44 120 mm cannon is mounted as the primary armament on the Leopard 2A4, offering a balance of firepower, accuracy and sustained rate of fire. The 2A4 has three rounds available to it: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS and DM23 APFSDS. Of these, only DM12 is available when the vehicle is stock, with DM13 a tier 1 and DM23 a tier 4 modification. The L/44 is reasonably accurate at long range with any ammunition, however minor round deviation may be evident at extreme ranges (over 2,000 m).

It's advisable to primarily rely on the best available APFSDS round for engaging other MBTs, however, retaining a couple of DM12 rounds can prove valuable against lighter vehicles such as the ADATS.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack located within a blow-out containment
* It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank and emptied first when firing.
* If you pack 16 ''(+26)'' shells, it will keep the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 2. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The 2A4 is equipped with one pintle-mounted machine gun and one coaxial machine gun. These can be used as an anti-air deterrent or for clearing out light obstacles and crew from open vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,600 (200) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+75° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Leopard 2A4 may feel somewhat sluggish when stock, and the DM12 HEATFS round may appear to be relatively ineffective. Prior to researching improved rounds and engine modifications, it may be wise to play conservatively.

Once the vehicle's modifications are all researched, however, the 2A4 becomes significantly more mobile and has a competitive, albeit not impressive round in the DM23 APFSDS. The 2A4 can be used comfortably in both urban and rural environments, providing the vehicle's weaknesses are kept in mind. While it is capable in most forms of engagement, it does lack the precision of the British Challenger MBTs or the extreme round velocities of the Soviet T-64/T-80 series. The 2A4 also has a particularly large and blocky profile, making for a particularly visible target in many situations.

Considering the above, a Leopard 2A4 player should utilise its great mobility and competitive gun to get into early positions to pick off unsuspecting targets, rather than attempting to engage opposing forces head-on.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful engine, high top speed and acceleration
* Good neutral steering system
* Good gunner sight magnification for long-range engagements
* Reasonably high-velocity kinetic rounds
* Competent DM23 APFSDS
* Turret armour is mostly effective for hull-down engagements
* Primary ammunition is contained within a storage unit with blow-out panels
* Generation 1 thermals in the gunner sight

'''Cons:'''

* Hull armour is mediocre, particularly against kinetic rounds
* The stock DM12 HEATFS round can prove relatively ineffectual when compared to DM13/DM23, particularly against targets with ERA
* The gunner's optics are a weak spot, enemies who know how to aim can cripple your gun and kill your crew
* The gun mantlet is relatively weak while being quite prominent, penetration can disable the gun or knock turret crew out
* The turret cheeks can be penetrated by most APFSDS rounds when hit at the right angle
* Secondary ammunition storage is extremely vulnerable, although this is avoidable by carrying no more than 16 rounds
* Both machine guns are relatively light calibre, suffer from mediocre gun elevation and will not prove to be much more an annoyance to aircraft, particularly helicopters
* Blowout panels are unreliable and have a low capacity

== History ==

Based on the testing results gathered from the various different [[Leopard 2K]] prototypes, a new Leopard 2 prototype was constructed that would be more representative of the final version of the vehicle. Designated as Leopard 2AV, the new prototype featured a redesigned hull and turret over the Leopard 2K. Furthermore, the prototype was tested with two different cannons; the British rifled [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7]] and the German [[Rheinmetall L44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rheinmetall L44 smoothbore cannon]].

In 1976, the Leopard 2AV was sent overseas to the United States to be comparatively tested against the new American state-of-the-art [[XM-1 (Chrysler)|XM1 Abrams]]. During testing, the Leopard 2AV proved itself as a good counterpart to the Abrams, outperforming its competitor in terms of fire accuracy, whilst demonstrating somewhat inferior protection and gun handling. Upon arriving back to its homeland with positive testing results, the decision was made to begin mass production of the Leopard 2 in 1977.

The production version Leopard 2, however, differed from the AV prototype in receiving an increased level of protection before mass production began. Mass production of the Leopard 2 started in 1979 with the Leopard 2A0 forming the first batch that would enter service with the German Bundeswehr in late 1980.

Throughout the production period of the early Leopard 2 versions, modernization and upgrades were being applied on the assembly line in order to keep the newest Leopards up to the latest standards. These modernization efforts mostly involved the upgrading of internal modules such as the aiming and communications systems. As a result of this, all early Leopard 2s (A0-A4) were visually neigh identical to each other. The Leopard 2A4 was the final early Leopard 2 variant before the more advanced and heavily upgraded subsequent Leopard 2 versions made their appearance as part of a new wave of modernization efforts.

A total of 695 Leopard 2A4s were built out of the total of 2.125 early Leopard 2s that were manufactured between 1979 - 1991. The Leopard 2 and its variants served primarily with the German Bundeswehr, but a number of export vehicles were sold to nations world-wide, ranging from Canada and Chile, over Denmark and Austria to Greece and Turkey to name a few.

''-From [[wt:en/news/5539-development-leopard-2a4-setting-the-standard-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2a4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Photos
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Leopard_2A4_at_Dresden_Museum.jpg|A Leopard 2A4 on display at the Bundeswehr Military History Museum.
File:Austrian_Leopard-2A4_Snow.jpg|Leopard 2A4 in Austrian service.
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|akxAxhPBA3k|'''The Shooting Range #101''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:31 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://mtu-online-shop.com/media/files_public/952ae139f0fae50b15702ddf661cad33/3061601_MTU_Defense_Brochure.pdf MTU Defense Brochure]
* [[wt:en/news/5539-development-leopard-2a4-setting-the-standard-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A4: Setting The Standard]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A6

2021-04-12T17:54:07Z

U22884032:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a6
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]].

The succeeding variant of the [[Leopard 2A5]], the {{PAGENAME}} is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the 120 mm Rh120 L/55, a 55 calibre (6.6 m) long gun, 11 calibres (1.32 m) longer than its predecessor.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A5 armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal KE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against 3BM42 at 500 m.]]

The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the already impenetrable turret cheeks have more protection on the side of the turret. Add-on armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early ADFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. The gunners optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank.

[[File:Leopard 2A5 CE armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal CE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against MIM-146.]]
Be aware of Soviet tanks though! Most of them will carry their HE rounds that can easily destroy you anywhere they hit. A hit directly to the turret will most likely send fragments into your hull, penetrate and lets your fuel tank explode or at least set a fire and knock out the gun barrel.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
|-
|Hull
|35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (50-51°) ''Lower glacis''
|10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm (0°) ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm (0°) ''Lower rear hull''
|20 mm (12-50°) ''All rear''
|20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull roof incl. engine deck''
|-
|Turret
|80 mm (57-59°) ''Right cheek add-on'' 80 mm (55-58°) ''Left cheek add-on'' 30 mm (63°) ''Upper mantlet add-on'' 400 mm (1°) ''Mantlet armour'' 250 mm (9°) ''Mantlet shroud''
|80 mm (20-22°) ''Right add-on'' 80 mm (22°) ''Left add-on'' 35 mm (0°) ''Forward'' 15 mm (0°) ''Rear''
|20 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside''
|35 - 40 mm (80-89°) ''Forehead Armour'' 14 mm (68-82°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm (89°) ''Rear turret'' 20 mm (83°) ''Basket''
|-
!Composite armour
! colspan="2" |Front
! colspan="2" |Sides
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|Hull
| colspan="2" |'''''Upper+Lower glacis''''' 440 - 480 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 mm ''Chemical''
| colspan="2" | N/A
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|Turret
| colspan="2" | '''''turret cheeks''''' 850 - 950 mm ''Kinetic'' 1200 mm ''Chemical''

'''''Gun mantlet (Center)''''' 
260 - 325 mm ''Kinetic'' 
600 - 690 mm ''Chemical''

'''''Gun mantlet (Outer)''''' 
425 - 460 mm ''Kinetic'' 
825 - 905 ''Chemical''

| colspan="2" | '''''Side armour''''' 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 230 - 285 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* ''Upper hull'' and ''Lower rear hull'' overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
* ''Upper mantlet add-on'' and ''Mantlet armour'' overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
* Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the {{PAGENAME}} remains relatively slow and relatively unmanoeuvrable like the [[Leopard 2A5]], but it can still keep up with the other nations MBTs.
The engine remains the same MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has access to the DM53 APFSDS shells, the APFSDS shell with the highest penetration as of Version 2.1.0.46. Such shell is able to penetrate [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[Challenger 2]] and [[T-80U]] more easily than its predecessor.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/55]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| DM12A1 || HEATFS || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480
|-
| DM33 || APFSDS || 496 || 494 || 486 || 476 || 466 || 456
|-
| DM53 || APFSDS || 652 || 650 || 640 || 628 || 616 || 604
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| DM12A1 || HEATFS || 1,190 || 13.5 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 2,150 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| DM33 || APFSDS || 1,690 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| DM53 || APFSDS || 1,750 || 5 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* The 2nd Rack serves as First-Stage ammo stowage.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The {{PAGENAME}} remains as slow, but as well armoured, as its predecessor, but it has access to the DM53 round. With the new shell, the playstyle remains similar:

* ''Hull down'': In the 2A6, the turret is well armoured thanks to the add-on wedge armour, so a hull-down position can now leave the {{PAGENAME}} invulnerable. Even then try to find cover, so then the armour package can last longer throughout the battle.
* ''Sniping'': With the DM53 APFSDS round, the {{PAGENAME}} has an incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, therefore it can now make use of the great distance in combat to deal damage while tanking incoming shots. Making use of hull-down positions whilst sniping is recommended.
* ''Flanking'': Due to the {{PAGENAME}} inheriting the relatively slow mobility compared to the other vehicles sharing the same battle rating, it is better to stick to more stationary tactics like ''hull-down'' and ''sniping''. However, with a little bit of caution, flanking can still be successful.
* ''Staying with nearby teammates:'' Try and stick to nearby teammates as this can improve your lifespan throughout the game.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, the DM53 with 650 mm of penetration at 100 m
* Impenetrable turret cheeks, the add-on wedge armour makes the turret immune from every shell in the game (average of 850 mm against long rod APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT)
* Good armour on the UFP (430 mm against APFSDS), immune to older shells; though many top-tier tanks possess shells which can go straight through
* Great gun handling: 40°/s turret rotation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of vertical guidance
* Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells
* Gunner optics are now mounted on top of the turret, removing the annoying weak spot present on the Leopard 2A4
* Cannon barrel and cannon breech absorbs impact rounds which may otherwise penetrate the turret and injure crews
* Very good thermal imaging quality (Generation 2 for Binoculars, 800 x 600, and Generation 1 for Gunner's view, 500 x 300)

'''Cons:'''

* Lower glacis can still be penetrated by most shells (but is expected for most MBTs)
* 16 shells in the ready-rack may be insufficient when playing in Arcade Battles
* Huge hull ammo-rack if more than 16 shells are carried consequently making the tank extremely vulnerable to HE shells
* A penetrating shot on the left side of the hull will most likely knock out the driver, gunner and commander, thus destroying the tank
* A penetrating shell on the right side of the hull will most likely hit the ammo-rack, destroying the tank
* The wedges can be shot off with several hits, though the turret cheeks alone provide 710 mm against KE
* Despite all the added armour, the turret ring and driver's hatch are both easily penetrated, and the enemy will most likely aim at these two spots to disable or destroy the tank

== History ==

Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower.

This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard 2A6's firing range was extended in addition to other ballistic properties being improved.

Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portuguese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use.

The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=germ_leopard_2a6 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Leopard 2A6 Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 008.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zesNf8kYsKg|'''The Shooting Range #229''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|BkompiilVQw|'''Should You Grind The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|nUJ9BpfFxNA|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


* [[Leopard 2A5]] - Preceding vehicle

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A6: Deadlier than ever]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A6

2021-04-12T17:43:50Z

U22884032: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a6
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]].

The succeeding variant of the [[Leopard 2A5]], the {{PAGENAME}} is distinguished by a longer gun barrel, the 120 mm Rh120 L/55, a 55 calibre (6.6 m) long gun, 11 calibres (1.32 m) longer than its predecessor.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2A5 armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal KE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against 3BM42 at 500 m.]]

The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same excellent armour than its predecessor, the hull remains well protected and the already impenetrable turret cheeks have more protection on the side of the turret. Add-on armour boosts the ability to protect against HEAT-FS and early ADFSDS rounds. The wedges on the front of the turret are able to be blown off if a round with enough energy hits it. The gunners optic is also moved into the roof to eliminate the weak spot which was easily penetrated by any tank.

[[File:Leopard 2A5 CE armour scheme.png|thumb|The frontal CE protection of the {{PAGENAME}} against MIM-146.]]
Be aware of Soviet tanks though! Most of them will carry their HE rounds that can easily destroy you anywhere they hit. A hit directly to the turret will most likely send fragments into your hull, penetrate and lets your fuel tank explode or at least set a fire and knock out the gun barrel.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
|-
|Hull
|35 mm (53-82°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (50-51°) ''Lower glacis''
|10 mm (5°) ''Upper hull'' 35 mm (0°) ''Lower forward hull'' 20 mm (0°) ''Lower rear hull''
|20 mm (12-50°) ''All rear''
|20 mm (0-8°) ''Hull roof incl. engine deck''
|-
|Turret
|80 mm (57-59°) ''Right cheek add-on'' 80 mm (55-58°) ''Left cheek add-on'' 30 mm (63°) ''Upper mantlet add-on'' 400 mm (1°) ''Mantlet armour'' 250 mm (9°) ''Mantlet shroud''
|80 mm (20-22°) ''Right add-on'' 80 mm (22°) ''Left add-on'' 35 mm (0°) ''Forward'' 15 mm (0°) ''Rear''
|20 mm (10°) ''Basket'' 20 mm (70°) ''Turret underside''
|35 - 40 mm (80-89°) ''Forehead Armour'' 14 mm (68-82°) ''Forward sides'' 20 mm (89°) ''Rear turret'' 20 mm (83°) ''Basket''
|-
!Composite armour
! colspan="2" |Front
! colspan="2" |Sides
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|Hull
| colspan="2" |'''''Upper+Lower glacis''''' 440 - 480 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 mm ''Chemical''
| colspan="2" | N/A
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
|Turret
| colspan="2" | '''''turret cheeks''''' 850 - 950 mm ''Kinetic'' 1200 mm ''Chemical''

'''''Gun mantlet (Center)''''' 
260 - 325 mm ''Kinetic'' 
600 - 690 mm ''Chemical''

'''''Gun mantlet (Outer)''''' 
425 - 460 mm ''Kinetic'' 
825 - 905 ''Chemical''

| colspan="2" | '''''Side armour''''' 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 230 - 285 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* ''Upper hull'' and ''Lower rear hull'' overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
* ''Upper mantlet add-on'' and ''Mantlet armour'' overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
* Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The only drawback compared to the previous model would be the {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility since, despite the half ton increase in weight, the engine remains the same, so the {{PAGENAME}} remains relatively slow and relatively unmanoeuvrable like the [[Leopard 2A5]], but it can still keep up with the other nations MBTs.
The engine remains the same MTU (MOTOREN-UND TURBINEN-UNION FRIEDRICHSHAFEN GMBH) MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces 1,500 hp (1,100 KW) at 2,600 RPM.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has access to the DM53 APFSDS shells, the APFSDS shell with the highest penetration as of Version 2.1.0.46. Such shell is able to penetrate [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[Challenger 2]] and [[T-80U]] more easily than its predecessor.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/55 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/55]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| DM12A1 || HEATFS || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480 || 480
|-
| DM33 || APFSDS || 496 || 494 || 486 || 476 || 466 || 456
|-
| DM53 || APFSDS || 652 || 650 || 640 || 628 || 616 || 604
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| DM12A1 || HEATFS || 1,190 || 13.5 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 2,150 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
| DM33 || APFSDS || 1,690 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
| DM53 || APFSDS || 1,750 || 5 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* The 2nd Rack serves as First-Stage ammo stowage.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The {{PAGENAME}} remains as slow, but as well armoured, as its predecessor, but it has access to the DM53 round. With the new shell, the playstyle remains similar:

* ''Hull down'': In the 2A6, the turret is well armoured thanks to the add-on wedge armour, so a hull-down position can now leave the {{PAGENAME}} invulnerable. Even then try to find cover, so then the armour package can last longer throughout the battle.
* ''Sniping'': With the DM53 APFSDS round, the {{PAGENAME}} has an incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, therefore it can now make use of the great distance in combat to deal damage while tanking incoming shots. Making use of hull-down positions whilst sniping is recommended.
* ''Flanking'': Due to the {{PAGENAME}} inheriting the relatively slow mobility compared to the other vehicles sharing the same battle rating, it is better to stick to more stationary tactics like ''hull-down'' and ''sniping''. However, with a little bit of caution, flanking can still be successful.
* ''Staying with nearby teammates:'' Try and stick to nearby teammates as this can improve your lifespan throughout the game.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly powerful gun with the highest penetrating shell in the game, the DM53 with 650 mm of penetration at 100 m
* Impenetrable turret cheeks, the add-on wedge armour makes the turret immune from every shell in the game (average of 850 - 950 mm against long rod APFSDS and 1,450 mm against HEAT)
* Good armour on the UFP (440 - 480 mm against APFSDS), immune to older shells; though many top-tier tanks possess shells which can go straight through
* Great gun handling: 40°/s turret rotation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of vertical guidance
* Side turret covered by add-on armour can bounce early APFSDS shells
* Gunner optics are now mounted on top of the turret, removing the annoying weak spot present on the Leopard 2A4
* Cannon barrel and cannon breech absorbs impact rounds which may otherwise penetrate the turret and injure crews
* Very good thermal imaging quality (Generation 2 for Binoculars, 800 x 600, and Generation 1 for Gunner's view, 500 x 300)

'''Cons:'''

* Lower glacis can still be penetrated by most shells (but is expected for most MBTs)
* 16 shells in the ready-rack may be insufficient when playing in Arcade Battles
* Huge hull ammo-rack if more than 16 shells are carried consequently making the tank extremely vulnerable to HE shells
* A penetrating shot on the left side of the hull will most likely knock out the driver, gunner and commander, thus destroying the tank
* A penetrating shell on the right side of the hull will most likely hit the ammo-rack, destroying the tank
* The wedges can be shot off with several hits, though the turret cheeks alone provide ~710mm against KE
* Despite all the added armour, the turret ring and driver's hatch are both easily penetrated, and the enemy will most likely aim at these two spots to disable or destroy the tank

== History ==

Following the rollout of the Leopard 2A5 modification with enhanced protection, German engineers, in cooperation with international partners, immediately began working on improving the MBTs firepower.

This was achieved by, among other minor modifications, lengthening the Rh 120 L44 cannon by 1,320 mm, thus creating the Rh 120 L55. As a result, the Leopard 2A6's firing range was extended in addition to other ballistic properties being improved.

Production of the vehicle began in the early 2000s by converting older Leopard 2A4 and A5 models to the new standard. Initially, around 225 Leopard 2A6s were produced for the German Bundeswehr. Apart from domestic use, the Leopard 2A6 also sees service with Dutch, Canadian, Greek and Portuguese forces, among others. In particular, the Leopard 2A6 was deployed with Canadian forces to Afghanistan in 2007, marking its first operational use.

The Leopard 2A6 is still in service today and, along with other variants, forms the spearhead of the armoured units of the German Bundeswehr.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=germ_leopard_2a6 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Leopard 2A6 Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
File:Leopard 2A6 WTWallpaper 008.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zesNf8kYsKg|'''The Shooting Range #229''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|BkompiilVQw|'''Should You Grind The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|nUJ9BpfFxNA|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


* [[Leopard 2A5]] - Preceding vehicle

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6927-development-leopard-2a6-deadlier-than-ever-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2A6: Deadlier than ever]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}