Finland orders third batch of Leopard bridge vehicles
Austria received its first Leopard 2L vehicles in 2005. (Photo: Patria)
Austria, which has been operating Leopard 2 MMBTs and Leopard 2L tracked bridge laying vehicles, will see the new Leopard 2Ls built on the country’s existing Leopard 2A4 tanks.
Finland has ordered an additional six Leguan bridge laying systems to be installed on Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks already in service with country’s army.
The agreement was for a third batch of Leopard 2L bridge layers from Patria with previous deliveries in 2005–08 and 2018–22. Deliveries of the new systems have been scheduled for 2026–28.
The bridge layers will be built by Patria on Finnish Defence Forces’ Leopard 2A4 chassis with the value of the procurement approximately €23.6 million (US$26 million).
Related Articles
Leopard MBT: Alpha beast gets a reboot (updated 2025)
The Leguan bridge-laying system can be mounted on various tracked and wheeled chassis, including the Leopard 2 main battle tank.
The system consists of a mechanism for transporting and laying either one 26m-long MLC80 bridge or two 14m-long MLC80 bridges, both of which can support loads weighing up to 72t.
Shephard Defence Insight noted that at least 17 countries had bought the Leguan system including six for integration on the Leopard 2 including all continental Nordic countries.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Land Warfare
-
![Billion-dollar Belgium deal for NASAMS creates multinational air defence system]()
Billion-dollar Belgium deal for NASAMS creates multinational air defence system
The National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS) is in service on five continents with more than 120 platforms delivered. The system will now form part of Belgium’s Blue Dome air defence system alongside new orders for Skyranger air defence and Thales radar systems.
-
![Clearer military requirements could unlock UGV market growth]()
Clearer military requirements could unlock UGV market growth
Western armies continue to test uncrewed ground vehicles, but wider procurement will depend on turning ambitions for autonomy into defined operational roles and funded requirements.
-
![Can NATO’s CUAS marketplace turn urgent demand into deliveries?]()
Can NATO’s CUAS marketplace turn urgent demand into deliveries?
Framework contracts and leasing options aim to shorten acquisition timelines, while manufacturing partnerships could help suppliers scale production to meet allied demand.
-
![A medium UGV market emerges as the US weighs up its options]()
A medium UGV market emerges as the US weighs up its options
The US is pursuing multiple UGV programmes, from commercial robotic platforms to new autonomy technologies. The combination of these efforts could prove key to turning ambition into operational capability.
-
![NATO looks for answers to overcome standards hurdles and improve procurement]()
NATO looks for answers to overcome standards hurdles and improve procurement
NATO is looking to artificial intelligence to provide integration between different C2 systems to create a common operational picture, potentially offering a faster route to interoperability than the slow-moving processes of NATO standards committees.
