Rheinmetall to Deliver 25 Leopard 1A5 Tanks and Other Combat Vehicles to Ukraine Next Year
German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has announced that it will supply Ukraine with 25 main battle tanks Leopard 1A5 and several dozen other combat vehicles next year, as reported on the company's website.
According to the announcement, the Ukrainian government has entered into a contract with Rheinmetall for the supply of the Leopard 1 system, including 25 main battle tanks Leopard 1A5, five armored recovery vehicles (Bergepanzer 2) based on the Leopard 1 tank chassis, and two training tanks.
In addition to the direct delivery of equipment, the contract also covers training, logistics, spare parts, technical maintenance, and other support services. The delivery of the ordered equipment is scheduled for 2024. Currently, Leopard 1 systems are undergoing major repairs and preparation for use at Rheinmetall facilities in Unterlüß and Kassel.
Earlier, Rheinmetall received an order to supply 80 infantry fighting vehicles Marder to Ukraine, most of which are already in the country. Additionally, Rheinmetall is ready to deliver twenty more Marder infantry fighting vehicles upon receiving a corresponding order. Furthermore, five Caracal airborne vehicles will be delivered to Ukraine by the end of 2023 or the beginning of 2024.
The company also announced the supply of 14 armored transporters Leopard 2A4 to the Ukrainian armed forces in 2024, as directed by the governments of the Netherlands and Denmark. Numerous other support services, including ammunition, drones, and medical equipment, will also be provided.
Today, it was also revealed that Germany is announcing a new military aid package for Ukraine, including tanks, ammunition, drones, and other military equipment necessary for Kyiv to counter Russian aggression.
Additionally, Germany recently made changes to its budget for 2024, allocating an additional four billion euros for military assistance to Ukraine. During negotiations with government coalition partners, the Ministry of Defense expressed concerns about insufficient funding for Ukraine's military needs and demanded an additional allocation of 5.22 billion euros for these purposes, including 880 million euros for air defense systems, 675 million euros for armored vehicles, 935 million euros for protective gear, and 2.34 billion euros for equipment maintenance (repairs, spare parts, logistics).