The two main battle tanks are at the center of a NATO debate on what weapons to send to Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion.
—either Germany's own, or those operated by NATO allies—heading eastwards to Ukrainian battlefields.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has thus far refused to approve Leopard 2 transfers to Ukraine. A spokesperson for the chancellor tolddismissed the suggestion, noting that using American M1 Abrams MBTs would pose significant logistical challenges for Ukraine, primarily because they generally run on jet fuel rather than diesel. Diesel-powered Leopard 2s, the Pentagon says, make more sense.
The German Leopard 2 was first introduced in 1979, one year before the M1 Abrams. Around 3,600 Leopard 2s of various types have been built since, seeing action in the Afghanistan War and the Syrian Civil War. The Leopard 2 has been built under production license in three other countries, and operated in various forms by 21 nations. The most common variant is the Leopard 2A4, with the most recent version the Leopard 2A7+.
Around 10,700 M1 Abrams and variants have been built, and the tank has seen action in the Gulf War, Afghanistan War, Iraq War and the Yemeni Civil War, among others. The M1 Abrams is currently used by nine nations. The most advanced version used by U.S. forces is the M1A2 SEP. The Leopard 2 was designed by Krauss-Maffei. Its cannon was made by Rheinmetall, and its engine by MTU Friedrichshafen. The M1 Abrams was first built by Chrysler Defense, which was later acquired and became General Dynamics Land Systems.
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