Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG, once MTU Friedrichshafen, is ramping up its production of MB 873 diesel engines, a model that originated in the 1960s and has been a staple in Leopard 2 main battle tanks for almost fifty years.
Simultaneously, the company is working on the new 10V199 engine, which could equip future Leopard 2 variants, German website Hartpunkt reports.
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The MB 873 was initially developed for the American-German MBT-70/Kampfpanzer 70 project — the precursor to the Leopard 2 — and has powered the tank since its introduction in 1978.
The engine's strong reputation comes in part from its ability to function reliably even with substandard fuel. However, it turned out so deeply integrated into the Leopard 2’s design that, despite various upgrades to the vehicle over the years, the engine has effectively remained the only part unchanged across all variants.
A previous attempt to modernize the Leopard 2’s powertrain by integrating the EuroPowerPack, based on the MT883 engine, proved too expensive and was ultimately abandoned.
Now, however, the situation is different. Many armies plan to keep their Leopard 2 fleets in service for significantly longer, so continued reliance on a powerplant designed back in the 1960s becomes increasingly impractical.
Additionally, in just the past two years, various countries have ordered 245 new Leopard 2 tanks in total, with an option for another 160. This growing demand makes the need for a new engine even more pressing.
The production chain for the MB 873 has been preserved to this day,and the engine itself even has some modernization potential for a power increase. But installing these upgraded versions would still require modifications to the transmission system.
The future 10V199 engine is designed to match the MB 873’s power output with a smaller weight and volume. It is still in development, though, and has yet to reach serial production. As a result, Rolls-Royce Power Systems is pursuing both paths simultaneously: expanding MB 873 production while advancing the 10V199 toward mass manufacturing.
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