Turkish Leopards get homemade armour upgrade
Turkish industry is producing an armour upgrade kit for Leopard 2A4s. (Photo: SSB)
A new armour package for Leopard 2A4 turret and hull is in production in Turkey.
Aselsan has begun ‘mass production’ of an armour upgrade kit for Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks in service with the Turkish Land Forces, according to Ismail Demir, head of the Turkish Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB).
The armour package was designed at the Roketsan Ballistic Protection Center, Demir added in a 6 June statement on social media.
He declared: ‘Developed in different configurations for turret and hull compartments according to threat analysis, the armour package still has the most effective ballistic protection used in Leopard 2A4 tanks in the world's armies.’
Demir did not disclose the timeframe for rolling out the armour upgrade.
There are 344 Leopard 2A4s in the Turkish Land Forces inventory, according to Shephard Defence Insight. The tank features flat titanium-tungsten armour as standard.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Land Warfare
-
![DSEI 2025: Avon Protection provides first sight of new goggle and details on half mask]()
DSEI 2025: Avon Protection provides first sight of new goggle and details on half mask
Avon Protection has been growing and improving its integrated systems offerings. Last year the company released its Exoskin total protective suit system and earlier this year the MITR-M1 half mask.
-
![DSEI 2025: Elbit Systems set to field joint fires systems as it looks to large UK requirements]()
DSEI 2025: Elbit Systems set to field joint fires systems as it looks to large UK requirements
Elbit Systems UK was awarded the Dismounted Joint Fires Integrators (D-JFI) programme in January 2021, which will integrate with the UK’s army, marines and air force. The parent company has decades of heritage in the UK and is looking to compete for the Watchkeeper drone replacement.
-
![DSEI 2025: Milrem’s Havoc 8×8 robot to undergo live firing trials next year]()
DSEI 2025: Milrem’s Havoc 8×8 robot to undergo live firing trials next year
The Havoc uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) was unveiled at IDEX 2025 in February. It is built around a hybrid electric powertrain which provides silent running over medium distances and silent watch for extended periods of time.
