Slovakia’s armed forces received a third Leopard 2A4 main battle tank on 2 June, gifted to 14 Tank Battalion Trebišov by Germany after the Slovak Republic transferred of 30 BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, in August 2022.
The Bundeswehr’s Leopard tank instructors are set to train Slovakian tank crews at the Training Centre Lešť, later this Summer. On 17 April, Slovakia took receipt of the first two Leopard 2 A4 Tanks due to arrive from Germany. By the end of this year, the Slovak Army is set to receive an additional 12 Leopard 2A4s, for a total of 15 of these main battle tanks.
All Leopard 2A4 MBTs must pass evaluations at the Military Technical and Testing Institute Záhorie, where tank ammunition test firings are presently taking place, in order to be allowed into service with the Slovak Army. The latest Leopard 2A4 delivered to Slovakia underwent industry-level maintenance and repairs by Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, as with the previous 2 Leopard 2A4s delivered to the country.
Earlier trials were scheduled with a completion date of 31 March. During the live-firing test, the tank platform’s 120mm Rh120 L/44 gun, which serves as the main armament, and the 7.62mm MG3 machine gun, which serves as the secondary armament, were put to the test. The weapons were fired both while the vehicle was stationary and while it was in motion. During the test, it was demonstrated that the smoke grenades could create a dense smoke screen to effectively conceal the tank’s whereabouts and mobility, according to a release from the Slovak Republic Ministry of Defence.
The Leopard 2 MBT is a two person crew 62 tonne land platform, currently in service with more than 16 countries, with more than 3200 tanks produced. The Slovak Army is set to introduce the Leopard 2A4 Main Battle Tanks to its Tank Battalion, a component of the Slovak Army’s Heavy Mechanised Brigade, as Slovakia’s primary commitment to its Nato Allies is to bring the Brigade up to full strength.
