How to tell Leopard 2 versions apart
- Flat, vertical turret front: 2A4 or earlier (or a 2A4-based upgrade such as the Polish 2PL).
- Arrow-shaped wedges on the turret front: 2A5 or later.
- Long gun barrel, with the muzzle well past the front of the hull: L/55 gun, so 2A6 or later.
- Bulky add-on armor on the hull sides and turret, a remote weapon station and an extra box on the turret rear: 2A7V.
- Small radar panels and launcher boxes on the turret sides: Trophy active protection, so a 2A8 or a 2A6/2A7 fitted with Trophy.
Leopard 2 versions
| Version | Introduced | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| 2A0 | 1979 | First production batch |
| 2A1 | early 1980s | Gunner's thermal sight integrated, ammunition stowage changes |
| 2A2 | 1980s | First batch brought up to 2A1 standard |
| 2A3 | mid-1980s | New digital-ready radios |
| 2A4 | 1985 | Digital fire control, fire suppression, improved armor; most exported |
| 2A5 | 1995 | Wedge add-on turret armor, electric turret drives, spall liners |
| 2A6 | 2001 | Longer L/55 gun, auxiliary power unit, improved sights |
| 2A6M | 2004 | Extra hull mine protection, used by Canada in Afghanistan |
| 2A7 / 2A7V | 2014 / 2020 | Anti-mine and IED protection, better optics, more power, programmable ammunition |
| 2A8 | ordered 2023 | Trophy active protection, upgraded armor and sensors |
National Leopard 2 versions
- Strv 121 / Strv 122 (Sweden): the Strv 122 is a 2A5-based tank with extra roof armor and Swedish systems. Ten were sent to Ukraine in 2023.
- Leopard 2E (Spain): a 2A6-based tank licence-built by Santa Bárbara Sistemas, with heavier armor.
- Leopard 2HEL (Greece): a 2A6 version largely built in Greece.
- Leopard 2PL (Poland): Poland's upgrade of its 2A4s with new turret armor and thermal sights.
- Leopard 2A4M CAN and 2A6M CAN (Canada): extra armor and mine protection for Afghanistan.
- Leopard 2A7HU (Hungary) and 2A7Q (Qatar): export versions of the 2A7.
- Leopard 2RI (Indonesia) and Leopard 2SG (Singapore): upgraded 2A4s.
- Leopard 2R and 2L (Finland): a mine-breaching tank and a bridge layer. Finland sent Leopard 2R breaching vehicles to Ukraine.
Leopard 1 versions
| Version | What changed |
|---|---|
| 1A1 | Gun stabilizer, barrel thermal sleeve, side skirts |
| 1A1A1 | Bolted-on spaced turret armor |
| 1A2 | Stronger cast turret, better NBC protection |
| 1A3 | New welded turret with spaced armor |
| 1A4 | Welded turret plus integrated fire control |
| 1A5 | EMES 18 fire control, thermal sight; definitive version |
National versions include Canada's Leopard C1/C2, Australia's AS1, Brazil's 1A5BR, Belgium's 1A5BE and Denmark's 1A5DK.
Support vehicles on Leopard chassis
- Gepard: twin 35 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun on a Leopard 1 hull. Highly effective against drones in Ukraine.
- Bergepanzer 2 and Bergepanzer 3 Büffel: armored recovery vehicles on Leopard 1 and Leopard 2 hulls. Two Büffels went to Ukraine with the first Leopard 2A6s.
- Biber and Leguan: bridge layers.
- Kodiak and Wisent: engineer and mine-clearing vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Leopard 2A4 and 2A6?
The 2A6 adds the wedge-shaped turret armor introduced on the 2A5 and a longer L/55 gun that fires rounds at higher velocity. The 2A4 has a flat turret front and the shorter L/44 gun.
What does the 'A' mean in Leopard 2A6?
It stands for Ausführung, German for 'version' or 'model'. 2A6 means the sixth major version of the Leopard 2.
Which Leopard 2 version is the best?
The 2A8 is the most capable, with the Trophy active protection system. The 2A7V is the most advanced version already in large-scale service with Germany.