Leopard 2 Tank Retrofits

June 1, 2017

Jenoptik Defense & Civil Systems
Wedel, Germany
+49 3641 65-2255

As part of a Polish modernization program for the Leopard 2 tank, Jenoptik was recently awarded contracts to supply 126 17-kilowatt auxiliary power units to the Polish company ZM Bumar Labedy S. A. The company Rheinmetall Defence will receive another seven of these units as well as ten electric turret and weapon stabilization systems.

Leopard 2 Tank Retrofits - Jenoptik Defense & Civil Systems

The auxiliary power generator set, also known as the auxiliary power unit or APU, is a robust and compact combination of diesel engine, alternator and rectifier. It generates power in line with the relevant requirements of the vehicle and converts this power to the voltage of the onboard system. The APU assumes responsibility for the power supply independently of the vehicle's main engine. This saves fuel, as the main engine does not need to be running constantly in order to operate the onboard systems. The APU is extremely quiet in its operation, allowing vehicles and platforms to operate in “silent mode”. The compact auxiliary power units reliably generate electrical energy for the onboard system in the smallest possible space while the engine is switched off.

The electric turret and weapon stabilization systems will replace the hydraulic systems that have been used to date. They are, for the most part, maintenance-free and generate less heat inside the tank. Basically, these systems steadily align the turret and weapon while the tank is in motion, allowing the crew to continuously acquire and track targets even on uneven terrain. Alignment movements can be automatically stabilized or controlled manually.

The Leopard 2 main battle tank was originally developed in the 1970s by Krauss-Maffei for the West German Army. It first entered service in 1979, replacing its predecessor, the Leopard 1. In addition to Germany and Poland, it is used by the armed forces of a number of other European countries,

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