Croatia has officially introduced the Leopard 2A4HRV main battle tank into its armed forces during the national military parade held on July 31 in the capital, Zagreb. This marks the first time the Leopard 2 platform has entered service in the country, symbolising a step forward in modernising its armoured arsenal.
So far, only two Leopard 2A4HRV units have been delivered, intended exclusively for training and ceremonial display, with no combat role. These vehicles serve as temporary platforms until the arrival of up to 50 Leopard 2A8 tanks, scheduled to begin in 2027, as part of a military agreement signed with Germany.
+ Video: Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot performs acrobatic manoeuvre after combat mission
The Leopard 2A4HRV is based on the German Leopard 2A4 model, produced between 1985 and 1992. It retains the vertically designed turret without the sloped armour introduced in later variants and is equipped with a 120 mm Rheinmetall L/44 main gun, a stabilised fire control system, a laser rangefinder, and optical devices for day and night operations. Its MTU MB 873 Ka-501 twin-turbo V12 engine, producing 1,500 horsepower, enables a top speed of 70 km/h and a range of up to 500 km, with a combat weight of around 55 tonnes.
While offering protection against kinetic munitions, anti-tank projectiles, and mine resistance, this version lacks active protection systems or modular armour. A distinctive feature is the use of the German-made SEM 80/90 radio system, which operates in VHF between 30.0 and 79.975 MHz but is not compatible with current NATO digital systems — unlike the SINCGARS used on Croatia’s M-84A tanks.
The delivery of the Leopard 2A4HRVs is part of an agreement signed on 28 October 2024 between Croatia’s Defence Minister, Ivan Anušić, and Germany’s Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius. Under the agreement, Croatia will transfer 30 M-84 tanks and 30 M-80 infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine, receiving in return 50 Leopard 2A8s starting in 2027.
The two 2A4HRVs delivered now serve only as reserve and training units, symbolising the transition to a new generation of armoured vehicles that should place Croatia at a higher level within NATO’s mechanised forces.
Croatia held a military parade in Zagreb on July 31 and displayed the first received Leopard 2 (technically designated as Leopard 2A4HRV, stands for Hrvatska).
The Leopard 2A4HRV retains German SEM 80/90 type antenna instead of the SINCGARS (RT-1702E) equipped on Croatian M-84A. pic.twitter.com/x06e2nkwrV— Ronkainen (@ronkainen7k15) August 6, 2025
Source and images: X @ronkainen7k15, This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
