German Tank Builder Can Deliver 139 Leopards As Morocco Provides 20 T-72s

Refurbished tanks are flowing into Ukraine as it waits for German approval of Polish request to transfer Leopards. JL 

Reuters reports:

German defence group Rheinmetall could deliver 139 Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine if required. (It) could deliver 29 Leopard 2A4 tanks by April/May and a further 22 of the same model around the end of 2023. It could also supply 88 older Leopard 1 tanks. 20 T-72B tanks were reportedly supplied by Morocco to Kyiv’s forces, making Rabat the first African nation to send armored vehicles to the war-torn country.

Reuters German defence group Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE) could deliver 139 Leopard battle tanks to Ukraine if required, a spokesperson for the company told media group RND.

Germany is coming under intense pressure from Ukraine and some NATO allies, such as Poland, to allow Kyiv to be supplied with German-made Leopard 2 tanks for its defence against Russia's invasion.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has so far held back from supplying the tanks or allowing other NATO countries to do so.

Manufacturer Rheinmetall could deliver 29 Leopard 2A4 tanks by April/May and a further 22 of the same model around the end of 2023 or early 2024, the spokesperson was quoted as saying.

It could also supply 88 older Leopard 1 tanks, the person said, without giving a timeframe for their potential delivery.

Defense Post Morocco has sent tanks to Ukraine to boost its counter-offensive against Russian forces, Algerian news outlet Menadefense has revealed.

Nearly 20 T-72B tanks were reportedly supplied to Kyiv’s forces, making Rabat the first African nation to send armored vehicles to the war-torn country.

According to the report, Czech defense firm Excalibur Army modernized the tanks before they were sent to Ukraine.

The first spotting of the Moroccan T-72B tanks being refurbished for the Ukrainian Army took place during a visit by Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala to the company’s Sternberk site.

The vehicles’ turrets were in the Moroccan Army’s original colors.

Morocco currently operates more than 140 T-72s, 130 T-72Bs, and 12 T-72BKs acquired from Belarus in 1999 and 2000.