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- Distinguished German protection agency Rheinmetall is providing Ukraine its new Panther Kf51 tank.
- The Kf51 would leapfrog the opposite older Western-made tanks which can be being despatched to Ukraine.
- Whereas the Kf51 has superior capabilities, its newness could create extra complications for the Ukrainians.
Whereas Ukraine waits on the older Abrams and Leopard tanks that the US and European international locations have promised to ship, it could have the chance to purchase a cutting-edge German tank.
Buying the next-generation Panther Kf51 would give Ukraine the possibility to leapfrog the older tanks that Western donors are sending — as properly the principally Chilly Battle-era tanks that Ukraine already makes use of — however taking over an unproven car might additional tax Ukraine's navy because it struggles to include older Western tank fashions.
Rheinmetall, the distinguished German arms agency that developed the Kf51, appears assured the concept might work. Its CEO, Armin Papperger, informed German enterprise newspaper Handelsblatt that the Panther might be delivered to Ukraine "in 15 to 18 months."
"We're speaking to Kyiv about exporting the Panther," Papperger stated. Apparently, Papperger stated that Ukraine had additionally expressed curiosity Rheinmetall's next-generation Lynx infantry preventing car.
An illustration of Rheinmetall's Panther KF51.
Rheinmetall Defence
Rheinmetall is reportedly negotiating with Ukraine to construct a tank manufacturing facility there, although it is not clear whether or not it might produce the Panther or the older Leopard 2 tank.
The Kf51 Panther is a brand new tank with some previous options. Its hull relies on the Leopard 2, which debuted in 1979. However the turret incorporates Rheinmetall's next-generation Future Gun System, a 130 mm smoothbore cannon that replaces the usual 120 mm discovered on Western tanks such because the M1 Abrams, Leopard 2, and the Challenger 2.
The Panther additionally has superior options, together with launchers for HERO 120 loitering munitions that give the tank an on-board kamikaze drone functionality. Subtle networking capabilities enable it to be built-in into detect-and-shoot kill chains and the power to regulate "wingman" unmanned floor automobiles that present capabilities "equivalent to platoon-level air and drone protection," in keeping with Rheinmetall, which describes the Panther as a "really software-defined tank."
Rheinmetall offered the Panther at a Paris commerce truthful final summer time and "touted it because the strongest battle tank on the planet," in keeping with Handelsblatt.
A German Leopard 2 tank in Munster in Could 2019.
Christophe Gateau/image alliance through Getty Pictures
Two features of the Kf51 stand out. One is the autoloader that replaces the crew member who masses shells into the primary gun, enabling the tank to have a crew of three reasonably that the 4 normally present in Western tanks. (Russian tanks additionally use an autoloader for a crew of three.)
Just like the next-generation Abrams tank, the Panther's turret could be unmanned, with its crew working the car behind the thicker armor of the tank's hull.
Maybe not coincidentally, an unmanned turret and on-board drones are additionally a function of Russia's next-generation T-14 Armata tank, which first appeared in 2014. Russia's military has solely purchased a number of T-14s, presumably due to the excessive value in addition to manufacturing and mechanical points. The Kremlin additionally seems reluctant to commit T-14s to fight in Ukraine.
It is also notable that the Panther has a fight weight of simply 59 tons. That is lighter than the most recent Leopard 2A7, which is 67 tons, and Abrams and Challenger, which weigh 70 to 80 tons, each of which Ukraine is slated to obtain. Lighter automobiles can extra simply cross bridges or muddy terrain, that are key issues on Ukrainian battlefields.
An illustration of the Panther KF51.
Rheinmetall Defence
However tank design is about tradeoffs, particularly in terms of weight.
One purpose the Kf51 is slimmer is as a result of identical to the Leopard 2, it's not as thickly armored because the Abrams and Challenger. As an alternative of cumbersome armor plate, the Panther depends extra on energetic and passive safety programs, equivalent to jammers, smokescreens, and projectiles to destroy incoming anti-tank rockets.
There is no such thing as a doubt that Ukraine wants extra tanks. Russia has misplaced virtually 2,000 tanks for the reason that battle started a 12 months in the past, in keeping with a tally by the open-source web site Oryx, however Ukraine has misplaced virtually 500 tanks.
Whereas Ukraine has been in a position to replenish some losses by placing greater than 500 captured Russian tanks into service, it's nonetheless going to want overseas automobiles because the Soviet-era designs it had earlier than the battle are destroyed or worn out.
Nonetheless, one consideration for Ukraine — and any overseas donors who would subsidize its buy — is that no navy has but purchased the Kf51.
Even the perfect new weapons have teething issues. If Ukraine turns into the primary to discipline the Panther, then it'll grow to be the primary to take care of the inevitable bugs. With all of the challenges that Ukraine already faces, that is a chance.
Michael Peck is a protection author whose work has appeared in Forbes, Protection Information, International Coverage journal, and different publications. He holds a grasp's in political science. Observe him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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