Leopard 2A4CHL - Anti-thermal Leopard

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Leopard 2A4CHL

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History:

In 2007 Chile bought 234 Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany. These were modified and called the Leopard 2A4CHL. The institution’s new tanks were given the CHL designation by their manufacturer KMW because they have a series of modifications, including a communications system from Elbit’s Tadiran company and the installation of a special kit on the turbochargers of the 12-cylinder MTU MB 873 Ka 501 4 engines , which allows them to operate without overheating problems at 4,300 meters above sea level. The Leopard 2A4CHL use in their 120 mm L/44 smoothbore guns HEAT DM 12 multipurpose ammunition and KE DM 33 A2 and DM 63 armor piercing projectiles stabilized by fins with sabot disposable casing (APFSDS) from the German manufacturer Rheinmetall Defence. To this type of ammunition it recently added the IM HE-T high explosive tracer ammunition from Nammo.

120mm IM HE-T

The 120mm IM HE-T High Explosive Cartridge provides the armor forces with a devastatingly powerful HE warhead that greatly improves infantry support capability.

The IM HE-T will complement the tank’s current main gun ammunition with an Insensitive full-bore HE warhead capable of defeating a target set that includes bunkers, fortifications, light armor and personnel.

The two-mode hand-settable fuze allows the tank commander to select a point detonating (PD) function for maximum fragmentation/blast, or a delay function for detonation after target penetration.

CHARACTERISTICS:

Cartridge Weight: 25kg
Projectile Weight: 16kg
Cartridge Length :943mm
Fuze: Point Detonating and Delay
Tracer Burning Distance: > 4000m
Muzzle Velocity: >1,000m/s
Target Accuracy (S.D.): ≤ 0.40mils
Explosive Charge: 3.2kg IM Explosive

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The Chilean solution to anti-tank missiles, the Israeli multispectral cloack

In 2015, a FibroTex package was installed in a Leopard 2A4CHL of the Chilean army. The kit tested was called “multispectral cloak” and was intended to be deployed on mobile and static platforms. The kit does not protect against attack but provides electro-optic mimicry and protection against electromagnetic detection, which helps make the tank much more difficult to detect and therefore not as easily prey to anti-tank missiles or other infrared-guided devices (SWIR) or thermal systems. It is presumed that the Chilean army implemented this kit to deal with the large number of anti-tank missiles that its neighbor Peru has, but since the Chilean army manages its purchases in secret, it cannot be confirmed 100% that they have bought many of these kits but at least 1 prototype has been seen using the fibrotex kit, although this company has been selling to Chile since 2001 this type of camouflage and systems, even so there are images that show that the kit was implemented in Chilean tanks and also on the same official website of the FibroTex company Chilean tanks appear with the kit implemented.

Leopard 2A4 CHL using the multispectral layer

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Improvements made in Chile

The company Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército (Famae) plays a central role in sustaining the Chilean Leopard 2A4CHL battle tanks. In recent years, the Chilean public company has implemented, through the Research, Innovation and Development Management (I2D), a series of programs to improve the capabilities of the Leopard 2A4CHL tanks, among which the change of the Peri periscope gyroscopic system stands out R-17 A1 to be able to use Leopard 1V tank gyros and modification of the digital ballistic computer card incorporating Nammo’s 120 x 57 mm HE-T ammunition shooting table , which allows the execution of long and accurate indirect shots and firing against fortified targets and bunkers.

Chilean soldier loading a DM 33 A2 ammunition

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Chilean soldiers posing next to a 120mm IM HE-T ammunition from Nammo

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Slow Motion Video Showing IM HE-T Hitting Concrete Wall. The one used by the Leopard 2A4 CHL

Fibrotex kit in action

Specifications:

  • Crew:
    • 4 (commander, gunner, ammunition man, driver)
  • Armament:
    • Primary: Rheinmetall 120mm L/44 smoothbore gun
      • HEAT DM 12, IM HE-T, KE DM 33 A2 and DM 63
    • Secondary: 7.62 x 51mm Rheinmetall MG-3 coaxial machine gun, 7.62 x 51mm Rheinmetall MG-3 anti-aircraft machine gun and 2 x 76mm Wegmann octuple smoke launchers.
  • Dimensions:
    • Length: 7.72m
    • Width: 3,7m
    • Height: 2.6m
    • Weight: combat weight 55 tons
  • Maneuverability:
    • Engine: MTU MB 873 Ka 501 4 12-cylinder polyfuel that develops a maximum power of 1,500 hp at 2,600 rpm
    • Maximum speed: 72km/h
    • Average ground speed: 51km/h
    • Power to weight ratio: 27.27 hp/ton
    • Transmission: Renk HSWL 354 with four forward and two reverse gears
    • Fuel capacity: 1,200 liters
    • Autonomy: 550 kilometers
    • Slope: 60%
    • Side slope: 30%
    • Vertical obstacle: 1 meter
    • Horizontal obstacle: 3 meters
    • Wading capacity: 2.25 meters
    • Suspension: torsion bars
  • Accessories:
    • NBC system: yes
    • Fire control system: EMES-15 from Atlas Electronics
    • Night vision system: WBG-X thermal camera from Carl Zeiss (today Hensoldt)
    • Multispectral cloak

Photos:

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Sources:

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Update
A few days ago FAMAE (Fabricas y Maestranzas del ejercito de Chile) and Aselsan from Turkey signed an agreement for the update of the Leopard 2A4CHL, At the moment it only mentions modernizing the system of fire control of the Leopard 2A4 and renewed the observation and aiming system of the Marder 1A3, also the internal communications, so we will have to wait for the prototype to be shown and if some type of additional shielding or some other protection system is going to be implemented in the future. I will update this post as I get more information.

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+1 I need to see it in germany tech tree or a latam one, whatever option that lets me have a lineup of Leo2a4chl (and the aselsan upgrade) and TAM 2C

un abrazo desde el otro lado de la cordillera hermano!!

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I would also love to see them together, especially in a future Latin American tree together with the Brazilian tanks, let’s hope that the Leo2A4CHL update is good.

Un abrazo también para ti hermano

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Although there is no official information, modernisation is certainly going to be just Optics and Electronics. Latest revealed agreement between ASELSAN and an undisclosed foreign customers worths only $124 million ($123.500.000 precisely). I doubt it includes ROKETSAN’s T1 Armor Package for that price. Chile bought approximately 172 Leopard 2A4, if all of them goes through this modernisation, unit cost would be $718.023 which is way too low in all standards.

For reference ASELSAN modernised 134 Turkish ACV-15 for ₺900.000.000 which means per unit costs about ₺671.641 which equals to $113.070 with 2019 exchange rates. Another reference, Leopard 2PL project’s costs was around €704.000.000 for 142 units which means €4.900.000 (something like $5.000.000) per unit. Sure AMAP probably is a lot more expensive than T1 but whopping $4 million difference just too much.

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+1 as part of a Chilean subtree in Israel or some other new tree but a big no for Germany. They have countless of their own Leopard 2 modifications. They don’t need outside help there.

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I understand exactly what you mean and it makes all the sense in the world, but it is most likely that this is an initial budget for the most important modernizations, such as the night vision system, etc. I say this because Aselsan is also going to modernize the Chilean 1A3 marders, so those 124 million dollars is too little for both vehicles. so let’s see what happens in the future.

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My intention has never been for it to go to Germany because, as you say, it has better options, the Chilean tank is for a future Latin American tree or for Israel, since many Chilean tanks were modernized by Israel or use Israeli weapons, so they have a certain relationship with said country.

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This is a possibility of course, I might have overlook this it. It should be noted, It was all speculation on my part I don’t think value of contract between Chile and ASELSAN directly revealed. I really hope Chilean government will include armor package or at least camouflage from TDU. As I’ve said, we will se once it is revealed.

ASELSAN has great portfolio of equipment for IFV modernizations, it would be interesting to see Marder’s upgraded to PUMA level of firepower with KORHAN.

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Can I ask you a question? You’re from Turkey? Because I would like to know which Turkish sources are the official or most reliable ones.

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I wonder, why do some sources claim they upgraded it to the L/55? Did Chile at one point plan to do that, but then quit? Or is it just very lazy reporting?

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I don’t know, I was also wondering the same thing, but visually you can see that it is an L/44, I guess those means that indicate the other barrel were wrong

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Yep, go on.

Well, though official sources are naturally most reliable sources not going to help you that much. Information provided by official sources are generally limited, and you need to scan multiple accounts to find information you need.

Defence Industry Agency (Savunma Sanayii Başkanlığı) is the best official source you can use at the moment and luckily there is both Turkish and English twitter accounts to follow. ROKETSAN’s and ASELSAN’s also have official twitter accounts but their activity is limited.

There I have a few good options.

  • Defence Turkey is probably the most reliable one, they have good editors with connections. Their news are generally true, also they share insights alongside news. They have both Turkish and English options in their website, but note that content in Turkish and English are not the same, you might need to check both languages and use translate. This is their X account.

  • Another one is, SavunmaSanayiST. They are also quite reliable, I would as much reliable as previous one. They also got both Turkish and English options in their website and occasional English posts in their X account.

  • Defence Turk is yet another good option. Similar to previous two, they are also quite reliable and have both Turkish and English options in both their X account and their website.

Defence Turk sometimes comes behind in terms of news, SavunmaSanayiST is probably fastest among them but Defence Turkey provides generally first hand information as well as exclusive news/content time to time. SavunmaSanayiST and Defence Turk are my go to sources for general news while Defence Turk if I want to read more about said news as they provide article level information and their editors provides commentary based on their long experience and knowledge.

There is also ghd Defence, it is in Turkish. Also I’m not really their fan but sometimes they provide news/rumors faster than other sources. Sometimes I give it a look. They also got an X account too. I cannot comment on their reliably since I’m not really following them that much.

You can always reach me through DMs if you need to ask/find anything. Also there are forums to follow but reliability of information are generally questionable.

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The other day I received this information and that is why I was asking about which sources were reliable. It so happens that according to what you told me, in fact, the source would be the most reliable. I am going to describe then the main improvements that will be given to the Leopard 2A4 Chileans according to the Turkish page:

"Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tanks will be equipped with the latest fire control system, commander and gunner periscopes and driver vision systems. In addition to the fire control system, it is aimed to increase the probability of hitting the mentioned platforms with the first shot with the electric gun and turret power unit developed with domestic and national resources. It is also aimed to increase the operational safety of tank personnel by replacing the hydraulic tower system, which is extremely harmful and flammable for tank personnel.

The PROACO roof project, which emerged by combining 3 separate projects in line with the needs of the Chilean Land Forces in 2019 and was developed in accordance with difficult geographical conditions and desert conditions; It includes the modernization of the Leopard 2A4 platforms, the most striking force of the Chilean Army, the modernization of the Marder 1A3 Armored Infantry Vehicle, and the modernization of the internal communication systems of main battle tanks, howitzers and armored infantry vehicles in the inventory of all armored units."

Apparently, according to what is mentioned, the most critical and primary things will indeed be improved, that would give meaning to the budget of 125 million dollars, but even so, as I mentioned before, it could be an initial budget and in the future add some shielding additional or maybe not, only time will tell

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This one is also reliable as far as I can tell, though I do not know who is the editor.

As expected, it is electro-optics and critical mechanical-electrical systems first. For more information you can read ASELSAN’s Leopard 2NG modernisation package. I pretty sure most, if not all, systems will be taken from this project except for the armor package.

I’ve made 2NG suggestion, you can take a quick look if you do not want to bother with reading.

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So in theory they should now carry the Volkan-II system?

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Quite likely, there is not that much option. As far as I’m aware there is only three ASELSAN made fire control system exits; VOLKAN, VOLKAN-M, VOLKAN-II. VOLKAN is outdated by now and superseded by VOLKAN-M. Problem with VOLKAN-II, it is the latest solution offered by ASELSAN and it was designed specially for Altay later adapted to Leopard 2NG. I do not really now if state-of-the-art system would be offered as export solution.

There is also TAKS, New Generation Tank Fire Control System but it is probably evolved to VOLKAN-II.

VOLKAN-M Fire Control System

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TAKS, New Generation Tank Fire Control System

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thats kinda unfair tbh,
the tank itself is german, and regardless of whether or not it was modified by a consortium which included israelis, it remains a leopard which by all right holds more in common with germany than a modifier. i mean… the TAM 2IP was also modified by israel but is in the german TT.
not to hateon the idea itself i love the sleek new coated design. but since there isnt much hope for a LA tree, it should go to germany in order to maintain the origin country’s link.
plus i hate why a nation that never used or produced a whole vehicle gets to have said vehicle.
it takes away the uniqueness of Tech trees

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I understand your point, but as a Chilean I think that the only options that Chile has to see any of its vehicles in the game is in Israel because of the link they have or in a future Latin American tree, I highly doubt that Gaijin will decide on the Chilean leopard before to another option from another nation that may be better to be included in the German tree, I also have to mention that in the old forum I made a Chilean sub tree for Israel that included this tank since it is the best that Chile has for now.

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yeah knowing gaijin, they wont be doing something so thoughtful.

well if link is the deciding factor then even by a percentage viewpoint, a leopard has more links to Germany than Israel ever can.

well i cant say anything about Gaijin’s intentions (fat chance of any of my predictions being accurate lol since gaijin logic doesn’t seem to be too consistent either smh) but it seems they’re not so against the idea what with the addition of the Swiss Hunters and Austrian JaPz.K A2 tank thingy and the TAM’s of which the IP is highly modified by Israel. they also added a subpar but interesting nevertheless T-72, C2A1, Class 3P, BMP-1 and other non German army vehicles

1 Like