(Amsterdam) KNDS is a European defence industry holding company, which is the result of a merger in 2015 between German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and French Nexter Systems. Which is headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands. One of its first projects was to develop a new Main Battle Tank (MainGround Combat System) which would replace the leopard 2 tank in German and the Le Clerc in French Service. Well KND has just revealed its latest iteration of the Leopard 2 tank which has moved on from its last concept of fitting the Leclerc turret onto the Leopard 2 chassis, by ditching that idea and replacing the manned turret for a unmanned one and relocating the 3 man crew into the hull .
The Leopard 2 A-RC is designed to address
the evolving challenges of modern battlefields, incorporating cutting-edge
innovations to enhance its operational capabilities.
A major highlight of the new turret, is the
ability to fit the current 120mm gun, Rheinmetall’s new 130mm gun, or KNDS’s
proprietary 140mm Ascalon transformer gun. The turret comes fitted with an autoloader
capable of firing three rounds in ten seconds and is configurable for both
direct line-of-sight and non-line-of-sight (NLOS) engagements.
The sensor suite includes optronics and
multiple detection systems such as laser warning, optics detection, and drone
detection, ensuring heightened situational awareness and battlefield
effectiveness.
The unmanned turret reduces the tank’s
vulnerable area by 30%. The Leopard 2 A-RC modular armour configuration system
allows for quick replacement and upgrades and is backed up by a active
protection systems (APS) capable of intercepting incoming projectiles.
The Leopard 2 A-RC will weigh less than 60
tons and have a reduced height compared to its predecessors.
