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Leopard 2A8 (Pre-Series) - The Newest and Newly made in Bavaria
Hi and welcome to my 108th suggestion, which is about the Leopard 2A8 for Germany, hope you like it. 
First of all:
- Feel free to share more Information and / or correct me if something is wrong
- Discuss respectfully, any aggressive kind or verbal abuse will be reported, the Forum rules also apply here
Basic Background
On 19 November 2025, the Leopard 2A8 was unveiled to the public for the first time by the main contractor KNDS at its plant in Munich. However, before the new battle tank is introduced into service, it will undergo an extensive testing phase. These tests are designed to ensure that all further developments - from protection and sensor technology to mobility and firepower - work together to create a reliable overall system. The aim is to make the Leopard 2A8 the most powerful Leopard ever built yet.
The first vehicles are scheduled to be delivered to the German Armed Forces in 2027. All tanks currently on order are expected to be in the barracks by 2030. The first unit to be equipped will be Tank Brigade 45 in Lithuania, which will significantly strengthen Germany’s military presence on NATO’s eastern flank. Once deliveries are complete, the Bundeswehr’s Leopard 2 fleet is expected to grow to around 430 battle tanks.
No new Leopard 2 battle tanks have been produced for the Bundeswehr since 1992; instead, the existing fleet has been regularly modernised - most recently to the Leopard 2A7A1 standard. As the total number of battle tanks is now to be increased, the Leopard 2A8 will be completely rebuilt. This has the advantage that the troops do not have to give up their existing tanks during modernisation, thus avoiding temporary capability gaps.
The German Armed Forces has placed a firm order for a total of 123 Leopard 2A8 tanks, with a further 75 vehicles to follow. This means that the A8 will form the backbone of the German armoured forces for years to come.
The Leopard 2A8 Overall
Compared to its predecessors, the Leopard 2A8 is a completely redesigned battle tank.
Initial practical experience has already been gained with the Leopard 2A7A1. This model, the first of which was manufactured at the Munich plant last year, served as the technical basis for the further development of the Leopard 2A8. One significant innovation was already present in the 2A7A1: for the first time in the history of the German Armed Forces, a distance-active protection system was integrated as standard - the battle-proven Trophy system from Israeli manufacturer Rafael. The system consists of four radar sensors and two launcher units distributed around the turret.
In addition to Trophy, there are four domestic Laser-Warning-Receivers to be integrated - the passive armour of the Leopard 2A8 was also further reinforced. This is particularly evident on the outside in the form of extended ballistic side skirts and additional roof armour on the turret.
Its main armament is a Rheinmetall weapon system with a 120 mm L/55A1 gun. This enables the tank to fire programmable DM11 and DM73 (and probably soon DM83) shells.
There are no plans for an RCWS at this stage, but it remains to be seen whether there will be any changes to the drive system or additional features.
According to industry information, the vehicle is to have an improved, fully digital fire control system and day and night vision reconnaissance and targeting optics for the commander and gunner. It also has a fusion of optical and thermographic sensors for all-round vision. In addition, the Leopard 2A8 is to have a power supply decoupled from the main engine with a continuous output of at least 20 kW.
The mobility therefore remains relatively unchanged from the pioneering 2A7A1;
At 70 tonnes, adjustments to the transmission and cooling help maintain mobility, with up to 70 km/h thanks to 1,500 hp from the 12-cylinder MTU MB 873 diesel engine.
Thanks for your time, hope you liked it 
[Will add more if there are some (more) important / declassified things]
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