A major Russian military-industrial corporation claims that, although Leopard 2 is a sophisticated and well-protected machine, it is not invincible.
Leopard 2 ‘s “Death Grave”
Rostec, a Russian military-industrial complex, told TASS news agency on February 1 that the German-made Leopard 2 tanks that some NATO countries have pledged to aid Ukraine can easily be destroyed by Kornet anti-tank missile systems. Combat experience has proved that even outdated, easily maneuverable anti-tank missile systems, less effective than the destructive weapons used by the Russian military, can bring down the Leopard 2 in a very short time. this tank, the company added.
In addition to the Kornet anti-tank missile system, the German Leopard 2 tank can be destroyed by 125mm Mango armor-piercing missiles and Vikhr and Ataka air-launched missiles.
The report explains that the Leopard 2 does not have explosive reactive armor like Russian tanks, making them vulnerable to the Vikhr and Ataka missiles that Moscow’s fighters use.
“German tanks will certainly be knocked down by 125 mm Mango shells, regardless of the angle of impact: a tank will be destroyed if the bullet hits the front or side armor,” Rostec stressed.
The company asserts that the Russian military is in possession of the T-90M Proryv, a tank that has a number of operational characteristics superior to the Leopard 2 and is capable of defeating them.
Russian military analyst Vasyl Dandykin previously said that although the transfer of Western tanks to Ukraine has the potential to significantly escalate the conflict, they are unlikely to help Ukrainian forces increase in strength.
According to this expert, the training process will also be difficult to standardize because tanks from different countries have different designs and operating procedures. These differences will not give the Ukrainian military an advantage, Dandykin noted.
The generation system will defeat Leopard 2
The Kornet anti-tank missile system was developed by the Shipunov Equipment Design and Manufacturing Center based in Tula, Russia (under the High Precision Systems Joint Stock Company). The system is designed to target tanks and other armored vehicles, including modern explosive reactive armor combat vehicles. The Hezbollah armed forces successfully used Kornet against Israeli tanks in 2006.
Kornet’s name in the NATO report is AT-14 Spriggan. This anti-tank weapon has a daytime range of up to 5.5km and a night range of up to 3.5km.
The Kornet crew consists of 2 people. However, depending on the situation, a person can still mount the missile and fire it. Typically, one person in the formation will carry the launch tube with the missile inside, and the second will carry the fire control system and day/night vision device on its mobile tripod.
Two other weapons that are said to be able to counter the Leopard 2 are the 125mm Mango armor-piercing projectile and the Vikhr and Ataka air-launched missiles.
The Kalashnikov weapons factory has produced Vikhr-M missiles for Ka-52 attack helicopters, a missile with a range of up to 10km and a maximum speed of 610m/s. Vikhr can penetrate 750mm of explosive reactive armor.
Meanwhile, the Ataka anti-tank missile is designed to destroy enemy armor, soldiers, bunkers, air defense systems and other targets. The missile was built by the Kolomna Mechanical Engineering Design Center and is mass-produced by the Degtyarev plant. With the upgraded warhead, Ataka can accelerate to 550 m/s.
In addition, the 125mm Mango armor-piercing missile is designed to attack tanks, self-propelled guns, and other fortified targets. Russia announced the Mango-M missile in 2019 with improved armor-piercing properties.
