Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/773724
At the time of their acquisition by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland (from September 2002 to March 2003), it was decided that the vehicles would be used for the next decade without modifications, while their exceptionally good condition confirmed that. After all, Polish Leopard 2A4 tanks participated in many military exercises. All tanks belong to the first production series with reinforced armor. The extensive use, however, led to a significant wear, mainly of main guns and drive gear. In order to maintain the combat capabilities of Leopards, in 2011, the Polish MoD signed a contract for inspection and maintenance of 30 vehicles by Polish WZM SA and Ger,am Rheinmetall Defence consortium. In 2012 another contract for servicing 35 tanks was awarded to other bidder - Polish-German consortium formed by ZM Bumar-Łabędy SA and KMW. The last contract was awarded in 2013 for WZM SA and Rheinmetall Defence - 81 Leopard 2A4 tanks were maintained in this batch. The maintenance was forced by the heavy wear of some partsof tanks, which led to loss usability and, consequently, to the risk of vehicles losing their combat performance. It especially referred to maintaining the efficiency of observation devices and sights. Maintenance allowed restoring combat capabilities of all of the tanks. However, during the works, difficulties were encountered in relation to restoring efficiency of some of the devices due to their condition. In case of some of the components and devices of tanks, it was determined that they almost reached their limit of maximum service life. It mainly concerned the observation devices and sights, e.g. the WBG-X gunner's thermal camera, TIM commander's thermal camera and armament control systems. Due to the fact that new devices of those types were no longer manufacture, it was decided that they had to be replaced with new products with far better parameters and upgrade potential. Initial concept works on the modernization of Polish Leopard 2A4s were started in 2011 by the Land Forces Armored and Mechanized Units Command. The idea was to modernize the vehicles by restoring the full efficiency of parts and replacing some of the devices, but the modification was soon connected with an offer of wider upgrades that would enable restoring the high combat potential of Polish Leopards and stop the process of aging, as well as eliminate their biggest shortcomings. The scope of modernization was compromise between the expected effect in form of a significant increase of capacities of the vehicles and financial resources. www.fragoutmag.com