Hybrid tanks showcased at MSPO 2024: merging past and future technologies
Numerous examples of military equipment are on display at the ongoing MSPO 2024 trade fair, and a notable highlight is the hybrid of old and new technologies. This is exemplified by the KF-51 Panther tank turret mounted on the chassis of a Leopard 2A4 tank from the 1980s. We present the advantages and disadvantages of this solution.
Modernising older tanks by installing a new turret is nothing new, as such cases have occurred before. For instance, the Turkish M60 or the Leopard 1 tank has a new turret.
New turret on an old tank
This time, we have the case of the KF-51 Panther tank turret mounted on the old Leopard 2A4 chassis. As a representative from the Rheinmetall company noted in our conversation, this is just a demonstrator. The company also offers hull armour, but it was not presented at the fair.
This is significant because the hull is from the 1980s, and its construction does not protect modern anti-tank weapons. It is also worth noting that with the installation of the KF-51 turret, the secondary ammunition store was removed from the hull, and all the ammunition (20 rounds) is now in an isolated automatic loader. This improved the armoured compartment from the Leopard 2 tanks, which held only 15 rounds.
New turret providing new capabilities
The turret allows for the use of a standard 120mm gun or the new 130mm gun. Additionally, the tank will have a reinforced roof (additional layers of composite armour), to which, as our interlocutor noted, Igelpanzerung mats can be added.
The vehicle is also equipped with a small reconnaissance (or attack) drone, significantly increasing the crew's situational awareness over longer distances. At close range, the 360-degree camera system for all crew members ensures visibility of the immediate surroundings as never before. The idea of pairing tanks with drones is not new and was popularised by Ukrainians conducting drone-corrected armoured charges on detected Russian positions.
The presented tank weighs approximately 61 tonnes, but it does not have full armour. Therefore, the final weight of the Panther and Leopard 2 hybrid, especially after hull armour is added, could be significantly higher and even exceed 67 tonnes. It is an intriguing option but seems less impressive than the Leopard 2 A-RC 3.0 version.
