Lithuania Pursues Leopard 2A8 As Their New Main Battle Tank
The market for the Leopard 2 expands with the latest decision made by the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense. Vilnius decided to enhance its armored fist with the newest Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks. A total of 44 MBTs will form an armored battalion of the planned mechanized division of the Lithuanian Armed Forces.
The decision to sign an official contract on the 16 December, came after almost a year of deliberations. However, the Leopard 2 platform was considered the best fitting for the task and purpose sought by the Lithuanian Army.
It is worth noting that Lithuania is between the Russian exclave in Kaliningrad Oblast and Belarus, making it a NATO state that fulfills the role of a narrow corridor to the remaining Baltic states. Due to its small land size and even smaller population, the Lithuanian Army is forced to choose firepower and maneuver capabilities over maintaining a static defense force. Thus a mobile armored battalion becomes a critical asset within a new mechanized division organization.
The modernized Leopard 2A8 tanks will be based on the German Leopard 2A7A1 tanks currently under construction. The vehicles will be manufactured brand new and based on the solutions of the aforementioned 2A7A1, i.e. a modernized 2A6A3 with the addition of the Israeli hard-kill active vehicle protection system Trophy.
The new capability that the 44 MBTs will bring to the Lithuanian Armed Forces is significant, bolstering the country’s military assets. However, it is worth noting that in case of an open conflict Lithuanian forces won’t be operating in a vacuum. The new mechanized brigade formation will become a piece of the greater puzzle. Leopard 2A8 brings interoperability with other NATO members, especially in terms of training and experience exchange alongside the interstate maintenance of vehicles. The presence of the Bundeswehr in Lithuania will be a part of this broader effort as Germany looks to stand up a brigade based in RÅ«dninkai.
The purchase of Leopard 2A8 by Lithuania should not be perceived as a radical enhancement of the limited defensive capabilities of the country but rather a decision made on multiple military and political levels. The newest European tank gives certain advantages but it is the burgeoning partnership between Vilnius and Berlin that truly guarantees greater security of Lithuania.