The Hungarian Ground Forces have received 24 German-made Leopard 2A7HU tanks as part of a contract signed with the company KMW in 2018. The Hungarian Ministry of Defense confirmed that the 23rd and 24th tanks arrived in the country on September 20.
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The new armored vehicles are being assigned to the 11th Tank Battalion, named after Tarchai Erwin. This battalion is currently undergoing reequipment and training, replacing the old Soviet T-72 tanks with the modern Leopard 2A7HU models. The training of the crews is ongoing, and the full reequipment process is expected to be completed by 2028. By that time, Hungary expects to receive a total of 44 Leopard 2A7HU tanks, in addition to 5 special Wisent 2HU vehicles and 3 Leguan 2HU bridge-laying vehicles.
The contract, valued at $565 million, also includes the delivery of 12 Leopard 2A4HU tanks, restored by KMW for training purposes, and 24 PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzers, the first of which was delivered in August 2022.
The Leopard 2A7HU is an adapted version of the Leopard 2A7+, with significant improvements, such as enhanced protection for the upper turret, a new fire control system, and the PERI RTWL commander’s sight. The Hungarian tanks are also equipped with a platform for the installation of the FN Herstal RWS remotely controlled weapon station, further increasing the offensive capability of the Hungarian forces.
In addition to the Leopard 2A7HU, Hungary is also modernizing other parts of its armed forces. In July, Rheinmetall’s armored vehicle plant delivered the first batch of KF41 Lynx combat vehicles to the Hungarian Armed Forces, further expanding the country’s ground forces arsenal.
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With the continued delivery of these modern systems, Hungary is strengthening its military capabilities and modernizing its army, aligning itself with the most advanced European defense technologies.
Source: mil.in.ua. Images: Instagram @magyar_honvedseg. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.