Leopard 2 PT06/T14: Lethality in Rapidity

Armen_Lozone · October 19, 2025, 4:05am

Leopard PT06/T-14 mod

Lethality in Rapidity

History, introduction and testing

TLDR: Prototype of the future German “Leopard 2,” equipped with a 4-second autoloading 120 mm L/44 and a correlation rangefinder instead of a laser rangefinder.

As the leopard 1 was reaching the end of its service life, the German military organised an effort to develop the successor of the Leopard. They tried their hand at improving the leopard 1 with the many upgrades of the 1A1 to 1A5. Eventually they even tried their fair share on the Leopard 1 MPI (maximum product improvement) which was related to their other KWS program of the Leopard 1A6 with improved armour, TVD, IR suppression and a 120mm L/44 cannon.

Realising that mere upgrades wouldn’t make it work, they tried to achieve success with the Americans in the KampfPanzer 70 program. That too failed with conflicting requirements and only a few prototypes were built.

So the Germans started the Kampfpanzer Leopard 2 program. Initally it was worded in such a way that would avoid any suspicion from the Americans (as Germany was under a sort of ban from developing new MBTs). Hence they started with the name, Leopard 2K (Kanone) claiming it to be yet another upgrade of their existing leopard MBTs. When the MBT-70 program failed in 1969, the work on the leopard 2 pushed forward full force as the restrictions had eased by that point.

Being a part of the Kampfpanzer Leopard 2 program, at least, series 1 of the program, the Leopard prototype hulls and turrets, around 17 hulls and 17 turrets (although hull 17 was not made) were designed to be cross compatible to ensure the widest range of trials and experiments for the best configuration of the new MBT. As can be seen in the one and only image of this configuration (that I have come across so far), the PT06/T14 was seen being trialled alongside another turret and chassis configuration of unknown designations.

The PT06/T14 would, otherwise be the same as the other configuration of the PT16/T14.

Minor differences did exist as far as information reveals, such as the PT06 having hollow track pins as compared to solid track pins on the PT16. Which would end up accounting for a slightly lighter chassis mass overall.
To add to that, PT16 had an auxiliary power supply (APS) made by MWM, while PT06 had its APS made by Krupp.

The PT06 now rests in Sennelager, Germany. As for the T14, I am unaware and can only hope it has not been scrapped.

Technical Specifications

Crew: (4)
— Mobility —
Weight: 50.5t
Power: 1,500hp
Top speed: 72kmph (reversible gearbox)
Power/weight: 29.7hp/t
Suspension: Torsion bar

— Armament —
Main gun: 120 mm
Autoloader: Yes, 4s cycle, 9 rounds magazine
Secondary gun(s): 2 x 7.62mm MG
Elevation: -9/20
Traverse: 360°
Gun sight: 8.0 - 15.9
Laser range finder: No
Thermals: No
NVD: Yes

— Ammunition —

120mm
Count: 41
DM12 HEAT
DM13 APFSDS
DM23 APFSDS
7.62mm
Count: 200+200 (+4000 + 2000 in storage)
Rate of fire: 1200 rpm
Types and performance:

Extra info here

The above leopard is, functionally, the exact same as the Leopard 2 PT16/T14, however, the turret having been trialled on PT06 as well, gives it a difference in a way that it can naturally be added to the research tree after the Leopard 2K (T11). There are further differences between the Leopard 2 PT16/T14 and this Leopard PT06/T14, hence this will remain an open suggestion and will be updated as new information is found out about the hull (PT06) specifically.

Addendum: