Leopard 2A6: Frontline resilience against Russian barrage
Soldiers from the Ukrainian 21st Independent Mechanised Brigade shared details of a mission during which they fell into a Russian ambush and were forced to make a rapid evacuation. Their lives were saved by a Leopard 2A6 tank, which withstood a fierce Russian assault.
According to a member of the Ukrainian Leopard 2A6 crew, the tank was hit 12 times in total, yet it was still able to leave the battlefield under its own power.
Leopard 2A6 survived 12 Russian hits
However, there were some challenges because the tank crew had to operate "practically blind" at one point. The Russians damaged not only the tank's main gun but also the communication systems and observation devices. Despite this, the Leopard 2A6 retained full engine power and manoeuvrability, allowing the Ukrainian crew to retreat to a safe location.
The accounts of Ukrainian soldiers indicate that Russian missiles, including anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs), and FPV drones, were aimed at them. The released footage shows some of the damage sustained by the Leopard 2A6 used by the Ukrainian crew.
One of the best Ukrainian tanks
Leopard tanks are the most numerous of their kind, and they are being sent to Ukraine from the West. However, most are older versions like the 1A5 or 2A4, while significantly newer and better versions like the 2A6 have reached the front in limited numbers.
The Leopard 2A6 is a tank produced in the early 21st century, distinguishable from its predecessors by, among other things, a longer gun (Rheinmetall Rh-120 L/55) and improved optronics, as well as the crew's ability to operate in hunter-killer mode. It is also equipped with reinforced armour, which, as it turns out, performs its role well in a real armed conflict. The Leopard 2A6 is life-saving equipment for Ukrainian soldiers, similar to the Abrams and Challenger 2 tanks or the M2 Bradley infantry fighting vehicles.
However, the Russians' successes in engagements with NATO equipment also evidence that there are no indestructible tanks. They have already eliminated a number of such tanks, destroying or damaging several and capturing some. In October this year, information and photos emerged confirming that one of the captured Leopard 2A6 tanks is being examined by Russian specialists at the Uralvagonzavod plants.
