Main changes:
-L/55 main gun to replace the current L/44
-Programmable ammo
-Updated electronics with emphasis on “night vision” (this term in Swedish MIGHT include thermals but it’s not certain) for gunner, commander and driver.
-New tracks and “bandaggregat” (don’t know what this translates to).
One can only hope that it gets added to the Swedish tree around the same time they add a Leopard2A7 to the German tree.
this will propably not be possible, the strv123a gets delivered 2026, lets say we see a full version 2025 already, that still is a long time and we are rapidly approaching rank 8 ground. Leopard 2A7 will be added a good bit earlier then the strv123a. Time wise it would be more likely for the strv123a to get added together with a leopard2a8, but balancing wise more unlikely since the 2a8 will be vastly superior
Yeah that makes sense, I didn’t think of the timeline.
But as you mentioned, it will be on the same level as the L2A7 so thinking about game balance it would be more appropriate to add around the same time.
If nothing else they could add it as a “prototype” when the first 123A is tested. like that have for the cv9040 BILL, or something equivalent.
I don’t think this is very likely at all but one can at least have some hope. ^^
Don’t think that’s possible. The “Leopard 2A7” that most people think about is not the one that will be coming to the game this year, it’s a lot weaker.
The Leopard 2A7V on the other hand likely won’t be getting put off for 3+ more years, and has high chances of appearing in the game within 2 next years, before Strv 123A is even delivered to the Swedish Army.
Though, it’s not like it would matter, Gaijin didn’t care that Sweden has basically a better Leopard 2 than Germany for 3+ years, they likely won’t care if Germany for once gets a better Leopard 2 than Sweden for a while (and if they actually model the APU’s, i guess it’s fair to say 2A7V will remain superior to Strv 123A because it could operate silently, also at the end of the day would be more mobile and also likely use superior APFSDS).
Why wouldn’t they be?
The 122B+ has about the same protection level as a Leopard 2A6 (even a bit more) but lacks the L/55 canon. The upgrade from 2A6 to 2A7 is extra undercarriage armor (which the 122B+ has already), upgraded electronics and thermals and Barracuda camouflage (Or am I missing something more they added?)
The 123A will add better night/thermal sights and the L/55 canon to the 122B making it have the same canon as the Leopard 2A7 and the same night/thermal sights. The 122B also already uses Barracuda camouflage.
in game the STRV122 has improved hull armor over the 2A5/2A6. The 2A7 only upgrades the tank in very minor ways. Giving the L/55 to the swedish would be further insult to injury. 2A7 does not receive a thermals or hull armor upgrade to my knowledge.
At least acording to wikipedia (i know, not the greatest source, but its the only one i have at the moment) the Leopard 2A7 “involves former Dutch A6NL models returned by Canada to Germany […] The original upgrade to A6M has been extended in coordination with Canada and includes a crew-compartment cooling-system from the Leopard 2 A6M-HEL series, a new 20 kW auxiliary power unit based on the Steyr Motors M12 TCA UI engine, the Saab Barracuda Mobile Camouflage System (MCS) with Heat-Transfer Reduction (HTR CoolCam) system, a field trial proven combat management and information system (IFIS: Integriertes Führungs- und Informationssystem ), onboard network optimization with ultracapacitors in the chassis and turret, a SOTAS IP digital intercom system, a renewal of the fire suppression system in the crew compartment, and the retrofitting of Attica thermal imaging module in the commander optics.”
The Leopard 2A6M " is a version of the 2A6 with enhanced mine protection under the chassis, and internal enhancements to improve crew survivability."
and it being the Canadian version mentioned above it would also include:
“The Leopard 2A6M CAN is a Canadian variant of the Leopard 2A6M. Significant modifications include distinctive black boxes mounted on the rear of the turret bustle and stand-off slat armour.”
so I understand this as the variant of 2A6 that got upgraded to 2A7 Has the same Improved mine protection and improved hull armour that the 122B+ has.
That does not make any sense.
The Canadian version of 2A6M has the extra armour and if that is the one they used to upgrade to the 2A7 then why would the 2a7 not have that armor?
Videos of the Canadian 2A6M in Afganistan:
its a mixed bag in the video. it seems like many (but not all) of the tanks has the extra side armor, and some seem to have the front armor as well.
(i also just realized that we might be talking about different parts of the armor, i’m talking about the underbelly and sides on the 122B+ and 2A7. I’m extremally uncertain if the 2A7 ever got the frontal armor even though it seems like some of the Canadian versions in the video has it.)
Edit:
From what i can find after searching a bit more is that the only difference between the 2A7 and the 2A7V is the front armor addon and a better axillary power unit.
Canadian Leopard 2s use Light Add-On armour, it’s not in the same grade of protection as MEXAS-H on the Strv 122.
Normal Leopard 2A7s never had add-on armour either way, so basing it off what a foreign variant is using is worthless (especially when said foreign variant is a Leopard 2A6).
Mine protection is also completely worthless in the game, no point in mentioning that.
I did not know this, thanks for enlightening me :)
Not added on top of the 2A6M, but added on top of the base 2A6.
i’m comparing it to the foreign variant (the Canadian 2A6M) because that is what Germany used to upgrade further to 2A7. at least according to Wikipedia. and knowing Wiki they (and thus me) might be wrong.
i’m just writing out the information i’m reading.
(i actually think Wikipedia is interchangeably using 2A7 and 2A7V it seems like… i think you are correct here, the 2A7V is the tank i’m thinking of and are referring to. so the 123A would be the equivalent of the 2A7V then.)
Edit: adding the base 2A7 instead of the 2A7V would, in my personal opinion, be pointless since the upgrades compared to the 2A6 would then only be:
-Belly mine protection, Barracuda, Aux power and thermals.
It would be doing the same thing as when they added the 122B, the only difference between the 122A and 122B is belly mine protection and a periscope…
Strv 123 isn’t getting “re-geared” like the 2A7V, and the engine isn’t being prepared for an uprate to 1630hp afaik, so it would ‘stay overweight’ whereas 2A7V sacrifaces a bit of its top speed for an increase in acceleration (which imo is more important), and it can be given more power at any point, thus increasing its advantage in acceleration even further.
It’s not yet know whether the Swedes are going with the L/55 or L/55A1, but if its the former, they won’t be able to use the most up do date APFSDS projectiles like M829A4 or DM73 & DM83, meaning Strv 123A would be significantly worse at tank dueling.
It also ain’t getting the APU (and if they model those, 2A7V could operate completely silently, basically staying invisible to thermals).
As far as I know they’re also not replacing the internal armour like they did on the Leopard 2A7V, so it woulda actually be worse armoured.
There’s a few more differences, but overall - the Strv 123A as of now feels like more the MLU upgrade that brings it to Leopard 2E or Leopard 2HEL standards, but not to Leopard 2A7V standards.
their always still is the possibility, it is just always a question of possibility like thodin mentioned already, since sweden and germany arent officialy allied they might have restriction on what they officialy order/upgrade
i don’t see them choosing the base L/55 when all of the 2A7 tanks has been fitted with the new L/55A1 and the pressrelease from Sweden’s defence force say to make it “equal to the other modern Leopard 2’s”. but you are correct, we actually don’t know. (But i feel like choosing the older variant of the gun would be outright stupid x) )
Correct, but i think this will have negligible impact on gameplay if they introduce the Barracuda armor. you can already as it is almost not hear tanks that stand still in game.
This depends, during the upgrade from 122A to 122B they also made “several internal changes” to achieve “satisfactory protection” (source: http://www.ointres.se/2011-03-18_pansar_strv122b.pdf). but what those are and what they mean we don’t know. But i would venture a guess that they are the same that Canada did when they upgraded 2A6 to 2A6M.
the 123A would also have extra mine protection, better thermals and the Barracuda system compared to the 2E. (and would that not make it a 2A7V (with worse engine and APU) if we just look at the upgrades that matter in game?)
It looks like they’re talking about the Strv 122B+ there. The “normal” 122B is just an 122A with a mine-plate.
But i would venture a guess that they are the same that Canada did when they upgraded 2A6 to 2A6M.
This would mean the removal of the lowest row of ammunition in the hull rack and a new FP system designed to prevent ammunition fires + some spall liners on the inside of the turret basket.
