Sweden orders 44 more Leopard 2A8 tanks to replace donations to Ukraine

The Swedish Armed Forces will receive 44 new Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks (MBTs) and upgrade existing Leopard platforms to the same standard to create a fleet of 110 MBTs.

The existing MBTs, designated Tank 122 in Swedish service, will be upgraded to an improved 123A standard and the new tanks designated 123B.

This order replaces the number of tanks donated to Ukraine, but it also increases the fleet by 33 tanks. Deliveries of the Tank 123A are planned for 2027 to 2030, while the 44 newly manufactured tanks will be delivered between 2028 and 2031.

The change to Tank 123 across the fleet means Sweden will operate the same standard as Germany and Norway. This is part of a plan to provide improved logistics, a safer supply chain and savings through economies of scale.

Tank platoon commander of Swedish Army Gotland Regiment P18, Lt Alva Cederholm, said the refreshment of the fleet was necessary after three decades of service.

“Tank 122 is very good, but it was constructed in the 1990s, so they’re starting to show their age. The new tanks and the upgraded older ones will be a significant improvement,” Cederholm said.

Germany confirmed in July 2024 that a US$3.16 billion order had been placed for an additional 105 Leopard 2A8s set for delivery to the newly formed Lithuanian-based Bundeswehr brigade between 2027 and 2030.

In early February 2023, Norway announced it had placed an order for 54 Leopard 2A8s to be delivered between 2026 and 2031 under a contract worth NOK19.7 billion ($1.9 billion). An option has been built into the contract for a further 18 Leopard 2A8s.

Shephard Defence Insight notes that Croatia and the Netherlands are also set to order Leopard 2A8s, possibly as early as this year, and in order to meet the likely surge, Norway is setting up an assembly line to meet demand.

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