Belgian army withdraws Leopard 1 MBTs
The Belgian military’s land component conducted a final live fire exercise with the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Leopard 1 MBT on 10 September, it has emerged.
One of the last NATO members to operate the 43t Leopard 1, Belgium purchased 334 Leopard 1A1s in the late 1960s, 132 of which were upgraded to 1A5 (BE) standards in the mid-1990s by installing a new fire control system and thermal sight.
Being surplus to requirements after the Cold War, most of the Leopard 1s that were not upgraded were sold to Brazil. While the Belgian military officially still has an inventory of
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Land Warfare
-
Trans-European iMUGS2 uncrewed systems programme set for three-day exercise in 2028
The next stage of the Integrated Modular Unmanned Ground System (iMUGS) programme, dubbed iMUGS2, was launched in November 2025. Three major demonstrations are planned before the end of 2028.
-
How joint ventures are expanding Rheinmetall's munitions portfolio (video)
Roman Köhne, CEO of Rheinmetall's Weapon and Ammunition Division, discusses the company's announcements at Eurosatory 2026, including developments in defence technology, precision systems, industrial partnerships and future capability programmes.
-
Push strengthens for a second JLTV supplier
A move, launched in May, could lead to a second supplier for the US Marines Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle requirement. Meanwhile, Wisconsin elected representatives have been pushing for necessary funding to be included in the FY27 budget.