After Belgian media reported that the company OIP Land Systems had indeed sold 50 Leopard 1 tanks, which will be transferred to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, additional details of this agreement became known.
According to the German Handelsblatt, the buyer of the vehicles is the German defense giant Rheinmetall. The price negotiated between the companies has not been disclosed.
Read more: The Poles Repair the First Ukrainian Leopard 2A4 for, But it is Not Clear Yet Where the 2A5, 2A6 Tanks Will Be Repaired
Although it is known that the Belgian company OIP Land Systems wanted to sell them for 0.5 million euro per unit. This was actually the stumbling block for their repurchase by the Belgian government, which in 2014 was selling these tanks at a price of 10-15 thousand euro. However, Rheinmetall could very well have negotiated a different amount.
Particularly noteworthy is that out of the 50 vehicles, only 30 will find their way to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. This is due to the fact that the condition of the remaining 20 tanks is such that they can only be dismantled into individual components and aggregates, which will then be used for the restoration of other tanks. This practice of “cannibalization” is just one of the several methods employed for repairing and refurbishing these tanks, most of which were originally manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s.
Taking this into consideration, it might be necessary to adjust the calculation for the potential maximum quantity of Leopard 1 tanks that the Armed Forces of Ukraine could procure:
- 88 tanks from Rheinmetall;
- 99 tanks from the Flensburger Fahrzeugbau Gesellschaft;
- 30 tanks from the OIP Land Systems;
- 96 tanks from the Ruag AG.
This would result in a total of 313 tanks. However, it’s possible that this figure could further increase if additional tanks are retained in the Bundeswehr reserves, provided their condition supports restoration rather than dismantling them for spare parts.
However, the fate of the Leopard 1 tanks owned by Ruag AG is entirely contingent on Switzerland’s stance, the country where this company is registered. As of now, the nation refuses re-export of any weaponry, including these Leopard 1 tanks.
Read more: It Became Known What Else Rheinmetall Wants to Build in Ukraine
