Leopard 2a5DK: The upgraded Beast

[Chickbecombo]

[Would you like to see the Danish leopard 2a5DK in war thunder?]

• Yes
• No

Leopard 2a5 DK

Hello everyone, today I would like to present the Danish Leopard 2a5 DK, an upgrade in almost all aspects compared to the german leopard 2a5. This would strengthen the Swedish top tier and put Denmark into the game alongside the Scandinavian brothers and sisters.

Historical Background

In 1997, the Danish Army purchased 51 surplus Leopard 2A4 Tanks from the German Army reserves to replace the Leopard 1a5 tanks. The reason for buying them was always to later upgrade them to the new Leopard 2a5, and in June 2000, the Danish army signed a contract that would be upgrading the Leopard 2a4 to the Leopard 2a5. The Danish version of the 2a5 however is not the same as the standard German leopard 2a5, as in the 80 and early 90s a lot had been learned from upgrading the Danish leopard 1a3 and a4 to the leopard 1a5, the danish army wanted to put that experience into the new tank that should replace the leopard 1a5, and that tank would later become the leopard 2a5DK.

Firepower

Main Gun Rheinmetall L44 – 120mm, caliber Length 44 smoothbore

Elevation -9 to +20

Ammunition types - Standard Nato

Ammunition types

Secondary Weapons - x1 coaxial 7.62mm MG, x1 7.62mm MG

Ammunition Storage - x42 120mm, x4,750 7.62mm

Mobility

Engine MTU Mb 873 ka 501, turbocharged 1500hp Diesel

Transmission RENK HSWL 354, 4 speed forward/2 reverse

Top Road Speed 68 km/h

Road Range 550km

Fuel Capacity 1160 litres

Vertical Obstacle 1.1m

Water Capability 1m (4m with Snorkel)

Trench Crossing 3m

Dimensions

Length Gun Forward	9.67m
Length Hull	7.72m
Width	3.75m (with side front hull armor)
Height	2.48m (rooftop)
Crew	4
Ground Clearance	0.54m
Weight	59.5 ton

Specifications

Even though the contract was signed in June 2000, to upgrade the Danish Leopard 2a4 to standard Leopard 2a5, there are still many differences compared to the standard German Leopard 2a5.

1. Improvements in the tanks crew stowage possibilities, two new storage bins were installed on the rear wall of the turret. There are four compartments in these two boxes, the right one contains the air-conditioning unit

Spoiler

2. The smoke discharger is mounted in a different way, the German one is mounted “four by four” and the Danish discharger is mounted “Six plus two”. Can be fired in either group of four or eight

Spoiler

3. The antennae bases are situated between the rear of the turret and the rear turret bins

4. Increase survivability of commander ́s integrated sight. The sight was covered in kevlar panels, and a white light projector was installed next to the gunner’s auxiliary sight.

Spoiler

5. A box Diemaco C8A1 carbines in front of the commander’s hatch

6. Two racks for Diemaco C8A1 carbines on the roof

7. The set Beam searchlight next to the gunner’s sighting binoculars on the turret roof

1. More protection to the crew, which included the full KWS II, as seen on the Swedish version (Strv 122), but without improving the turret roof’s protection

Spoiler

2. An Auxiliary Power Unit(APU) is installed, so you don’t have to keep the main engine running, in order to turn the turret or to use the Fire-Control System(FCS), and also to lessen the acoustic and thermal signature of the vehicle when used. This was installed in the right rear corner of the hull, which made the right rear hull significantly higher and more angular than the hull on the German Leopard 2a5s.

3. Small Toolbox situated next to the APU box.

4. on the rear hull wall are two flat lids on each side of the convoy light, rather than two boxes found on the German Leopard 2s.

5. Attachment of the final(rearmost) of the heavy side skirts is different from the German or Dutch Leopard’s 2s.

Possible modification ingame

mine protection

The Quick Reaction Force(QRF)

In January 2007 a quick Reaction force was established consisting of four(later 16 was put to the QRF standard) LEO 2a5s, this specially modified included:

SAAB Barracuda System

Extra projection to the commander’s sight

Extra projection to the gunner sight

A small turret for the loader is fitted with a 12,7 mm m2 Heavy Machine Gun. On some of the upgraded QRF tanks, this was not put on, since it was in the way of the commander’s sight

Pictures

Conlusion

The Danish Leopard 2a5Dk has more in common with the Leopard 2a6EX, German Leopard 2a6, and the Swedish Swedish STRV 122 than the standard German Leopard 2a5. Some will say it its a Leopard 2a6 just without the L55 cannon. The Danish leopard adds a very unique Leopard to the Leopard Family in War Thunder.

Thank you for reading :)

Sources

Spoiler

Book
The Danish Leopard 2A5
by Thomas Antonsen
The Danish Leopard 2A5 by Thomas Antonsen | Book

website:
Leopard 2A5 DK - Danish Army Vehicles Homepage

Article:
Leopard 2A5DK Tank | Danish Army Leopard 2A5 | Full history

More pictures

Spoiler

[MBDA_Meteor]

Sweden and Finland should stop stealing vehicles from other countries :)

[AAM-3]

Please, stop giving sweden more leopards. I beg you.

[_pSycho]

Looks good, and i like it. But Russian tree will need some vehicles too. Like the T90M. Russian ammo isnt the best, we dont even havee to talk about armor. So yes but with some new Russian pieces

[Imaflyingturkey]

well idk could be german could be swedish

[RicLoeveHjerte]

Would love to see this in the Swedish tree.

Can’t see how people can see this in the German tree. Denmark is a Nordic country, closer to Sweden culturally and linguistically.

[Hazeldsr]

i think this should rather go into the german tech tree as sweden already has norway and finnish tree + proposals they never used. Germany could use it to bolster their lineup

[RicLoeveHjerte]

But they have so many Leopards themselves to choose from. They don’t need a Danish one…

[Hazeldsr]

and where are they? Sweden also has lots of vehicles to choose from with norway and finnish vehicles in their tree. Germany lacks them rn. Danish Leopard would be a unique adition

[RicLoeveHjerte]

Again back to my first point, Denmark is a Nordic nation and falls under Sweden as a nation in War Thunder. The Danish leopard will not go into the German tree as, Germany has so many unique variants to choose from themselves.

If I am not wrong, Gaijin said so themselves that Sweden will represent the Nordic nations. Last I checked, Germany is not a Nordic nation.

[kmpuggaard]

Btw. It’s a 2A7 not a 2A5, and how dare you say that Denmark is closer to Sweden culturally than to Germany.

My source for the variant designation: Kampvogn - Leopard 2A7

+1

[Chickbecombo]

@kmpuggaard

Btw. It’s a 2A7 not a 2A5, and how dare you say that Denmark is closer to Sweden culturally than to Germany.

I take this as a troll comment, this is a suggestion about the Danish Leopard 2a5DK, NOT the new Leopard 2a7DK, please read the suggestion…

@kmpuggaard

and how dare you say that Denmark is closer to Sweden culturally than to Germany.

Dont know if I should laugh or cry at this statement, I am Dane. We are closer culturally, historically, and language-wise to the Nordic countries, PLEASE read a history book about my nation before making such a statement.

This tank should be placed in the Swedish tree, as that is the Nordic TT, Germany are getting the PSO for now, and have a a lot of other option for the future.

[kmpuggaard]

Det var en vittighed

[Yontzee]

+1 for the Swedish tree which at this point is a Nordic Tree.

[Chickbecombo]

Sorry, har mødt folk på dette forum og det gamle som har den forståelse, så det er lidt svært nogle gange at skelne mellem sandhed og joke.

[RicLoeveHjerte]

Måske du skulle finde et andet sted for dine vittigheder

[kmpuggaard]

Jeg har faktisk altid troet, at Danmark har brugt standardmodellen af 2A5, så jeg blev lidt forvirret i slutningen af dit forslaget, og troede at du refererede til de nye, opgraderede 2A7. Det er dog fedt at vide at Forsvaret har haft sin egen version af leopard-kampvognen.

Jeg krydser fingre for dit forslag, og glæder mig til at se det implementeret i spillet.

[SaabGripen]

12,7 mm? Interesting!
@Chickbecombo It would be more interesting if the historical fact that the Danish army classified this as a heavy tank(“Svær kampvogn Leopard 2A5”) was mentioned.

[MythicPi]

Sweden is literally already just better germany, wtf do they need ANOTHER better german tank for? Its also just basically an STRV122A which sweden already has.

Thats a -1 from me, stupid suggestion.

[Catnip007]

+1 far better than the PSO