- Yes
- No ( explain why)
This tank doesn’t have an official name and in all sources its called “Leopard 2A4 with 105mm gun” so i will call it Leopard 2A4 (105mm).
History
The program began as an idea in February 2010 and was completed in February 2011, exclusively by ΠΕΒ staff in both the planning and implementation stages. The purpose of the project was the installation of a 105 mm cannon. in place of the 120 mm gun (because large stocks of 105 mm ammunition were available to the Hellenic Army compared to the limited stocks of 120 mm ammunition) on a Leopard 2A4 tank, but without extensive modifications to the turret, so that the tank can still be restored to its original condition. Initially, the placement of a single 105 mm gun was considered from an M48A5 in place of the 120mm gun, but was ultimately rejected for construction reasons. The next thought was to mount a single 105mm gun (L7A3) from a Leopard 1A5 tank, but in the process it turned out that even this solution was not easily implemented and required extensive work on the gun barrel and brakes, while also requiring additional modifications to the interior of the turret due to the different shutter opening system. On the Leopard 1A5 the breech opens to the side, while on the Leopard 2A4 downwards with the result that when the Leopard 1A5 gun assembly was fitted to the Leopard 2A4 turret extensive modifications were needed to the interior of the turret to make it safe and ergonomic for the loader. So this option was also rejected and finally it was decided to mount only the 105 mm gun tube in the barrel of the 120 mm gun of the tank. In this way all the systems of the 120 mm and the tank and its breech, would be used while only the necessary modifications would be made to cooperate with the 105 mm tube. After study and design, it was decided that this option was feasible and its implementation began.
The first stage involved the fabrication of a brass ring to adapt the 120 mm gun carriage to the 105 mm gun barrel, as well as the fabrication of locking bolts for the gun barrel. The ring was produced by cutting and machining a brass cylinder, while the Leopard 2A4 gun carriage also underwent minor machining to accommodate the ring.
The second stage involved the construction of a steel conical adapter for the 105 mm gun barrel, so that it would “lock” onto the brass ring, allowing the carriage to be mounted subsequently. It should be noted that another steel adapter was also constructed, which was mounted very close to the base of the gun to “lock” the carriage in place.
The third and most difficult stage of implementing the modification was the construction of the dual-thread adapter for mounting the 105 mm gun barrel onto the 120 mm gun mount of the Leopard 2A4. Specifically, the adapter’s internal thread screws into the base of the 105 mm gun barrel of the Leopard 1A5, and then the entire assembly, thanks to the external thread, screws onto the 120 mm breech of the Leopard 2A4.
The next stage involved modifications to the 120 mm breech and breech block to enable them to function with the 105 mm barrel and ammunition. Specifically, a projectile guide was designed and manufactured to ensure the 105 mm projectile could be properly positioned in the chamber of the 120 mm breech, while the breech block’s “faceplate” was also modified to work with the new 105 mm projectile.
The final modification to the breech area was the machining of the extractors so that they could pull the cartridge case out of the chamber. The last machining task involved some modifications to the base of the gun barrel.
Finally, to ensure the project’s practical value, the Leopard 2A4’s fire control computer was modified to utilize 105-mm shells. As it turned out, due to the compatibility of the fire control computers of the Leopard 1A5 and Leopard 2A4, the system was able to accept the EPROMs containing the fire control data for the 105 mm ammunition.
Diagnostic testing of the modified fire control computer with the modified gun installed showed that it was operational, and some minor deviations were corrected with appropriate adjustments. Following the modification of the firing computer, a functional test was performed, along with adjustment of the stabilization unit, quality control of the stabilization system, synchronization and convergence, as well as recording of elevation and lead values.
Lasty its notable that the the installation of the 105-mm gun barrel on the Leopard 2A4 is not permanent, as the modification developed allows the 120 mm L44 gun barrel to be reinstalled, thereby returning the tank to its original configuration. Also only 2 tank were known to get this modification, in 2022 we saw again one of this guns after a decade but this time it was fitted in a Leopard 2HEL.
Firepower
The Leopard 2A4 (105mm) uses the L7A3 and Greece has
- DM23
- DM33
- M735
- M413
- M426/ DM63
- DM12
- M456A1
- M393A2
- M416
Machine gun (Coaxial): 7.62mm MG3A1 and also in all picture the on-top Mg seems to be removed
Protection
Smoke launchers: 16 grenades in total with the ability to launch it 8 times
The armor is the exact same with the standard Leopard 2A4
So its the Composite armour with
Turret Front: 390mm to 480mm against kinetic energy (KE) rounds and 700mm to 808mm against shaped charge/HEAT rounds.
Hull Front: 390mm against KE and up to 700mm against HEAT.
Sides and Rear: Ranging from 50mm to 80mm of steel.
Mobility
Engine: MTU MB 873 Ka-501 V-12 liquid-cooled, twin-turbo diesel engine
Horsepower: 1,500 hp (1,100 kW) at 2,600 rpm.
Top Forward Speed: 68–72 km/h
Top Reverse Speed: 31 km/h
Power-to-Weight Ratio: 27.2hp/t
Transmission: Renk HSWL 354 (4 forward, 2 reverse gears)
(same with the standard Greek Leopard 2A4)
