The Leopard 1 was a Cold War main battle tank used by the German Army from 1963 to 1993, being replaced by the Leopard 2. It was designed and developed by the German firm Porsche and manufactured by Krauss Maffei as a replacement for the American-made M60 Patton, which had been until then the Bundeswehr’s main battle tank. Its prototype was produced and tested in 1962, entering service the following year. It was manufactured in five models: the Leopard 1A1, 1A2, 1A3, 1A4, and 1A5.
Although it is no longer deployed by the German Army, it is still in service with the Brazilian, Canadian, Chilean, and Turkish Army. It saw combat action with the Canadians from 2006 to 2010 in Afghanistan in the Leopard C2 version. As of 2023, the German federal government and the firm Krauss Maffei authorized the shipping of 178 Leopard 1 tank to Ukraine, plus 14 Leopards 2 tanks to reinforce the Ukrainian Army’s armored units to fight against the Russian Ground Forces.
Technical Characteristics
The Leopard 1 features a 105-mm rifled gun, which is based on the British Royal Ordnance L7 that had been used on the Centurion Mark 5 tank. It has an effective maximum range of 2,000 m. It is fitted with a gun stabilization system, which makes it possible for the tank to fire as it rolls, no matter how rough the terrain is. It is also equipped with infra-red search light. The tank is protected with conventional steel armor, but the tower is reinforced with additional spaced armor. Face-to-face with a Russian T-72B3 tank, the Leopard 1 has no chance; it would be suicidal.
Specifications
Type: Main Battle Tank
Weight: 40 tons
Hull Length: 8.17 m
Full Length: 9.55 m
Width: 3.37 m
Armor: steel
Powerplant: 850 HP, 10-cyl. diesel engine.
Maximum Speed: 65 km/h
Range: 550 km
Below, the Leopard 1A3 in 1980 in northern Germany.
The Leopard 1A2 version in 1971
Below, the Leopard 1 during NATO military exercises.
