The anticipated joint donation of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine by Denmark, Germany, and the Netherlands has faced setbacks due to various technical difficulties. The initial plan was to send the first tanks to Ukraine during the spring; however, Acting Minister of Defense Troels Lund Poulsen has recently revealed that the schedule has been postponed. The initial aim was to have the first refurbished tanks ready by April, allowing the first training module to commence as scheduled at the end of that month. However, delays in the delivery of the renovated turrets resulted in an insufficient number of refurbished tanks for the start of the training module.
We regret that we have not been able to deliver the expected number of Leopard 1 tanks to Ukraine as planned. This donation holds great significance, but the manufacturers have encountered technical challenges during the tank refurbishment process, particularly concerning the gun towers. Unfortunately, this means that we currently only have tanks available for training purposes. It is absolutely crucial that we deliver the tanks to Ukraine so that they can provide assistance in Ukraine’s struggle against Putin’s Russia,” explained Acting Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen.
To mitigate these challenges, the Germans have retained a minimum number of tanks in an availability pool for the next training module, which has further postponed the delivery of tanks to Ukraine. It is now expected that the first tanks will be dispatched in July. Collaborating closely with the German Ministry of Defense, the Danish authorities have examined the situation and identified quality issues with the tanks. It is anticipated that subsequent deliveries will exhibit improved quality. The timely provision of these tanks to Ukraine is of utmost importance in supporting the country’s fight against Russia under President Putin’s regime.
The Kampfpanzer Leopard 1 is a main battle tank designed by Porsche and manufactured by Krauss-Maffei in West Germany, first entering service in 1965. Developed in an era when HEAT warheads were thought to make conventional heavy armour of limited value, the Leopard design focused on effective firepower and mobility instead of heavy protection. It featured moderate armour, only effective against low caliber autocannons and heavy machine guns, giving it a high power-to-weight ratio. Currently, the largest operators are Greece, with 520 vehicles, Turkey, with 397 vehicles, Brazil with 378 vehicles and Chile with 202 vehicles.
