A Ukrainian Leopard 1 tank lies motionless on the front line after being hit by Russian fire (Photo: Forbes).
The Ukrainian military has lost its first Leopard 1A5 tank after images emerged of the weapon being used in combat more than a week ago, Forbes reported.
Video footage posted on November 28 shows one of the German-made tanks of Ukraine's 44th Brigade being hit by fire on the eastern front.
According to images from Russian UAVs, the 40-ton tank, with a crew of four, moved along a tree line and turned into a large field. Due to its location without cover, the Leopard 1 quickly became a target of Russian attack.
The tank's left track appears to be broken, rendering it immobile. The crew appears to have escaped as the turret section opens.
The 44th Brigade may have received a battalion of Leopard 1A5s so far. In combat, tank losses are inevitable, but the losses of the Leopard 1A5s are considered quite early, as the weapon only began to appear on the front line a little over a week ago.
Experts have previously talked about the tank's biggest weakness. The Leopard 1A5 doesn't seem to have any additional armor. It doesn't have a cage to protect against UAVs. It doesn't have explosive reactive armor to stop incoming missiles and shells.
With only 70mm of armor at its thickest, the Leopard 1A5 is probably the least protected tank in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Even the 1950s vintage Russian T-55s and the equivalent but upgraded Ukrainian M-55S are better protected in some respects than the Leopard 1A5.
However, according to Forbes, poor protection may not have been the only reason for Ukraine's loss of its first Leopard 1A5.
Every tank is vulnerable to artillery fire under or near its tracks. Even the best protected tank – the American-made M-1 or the German-made Leopard 2A6 – is vulnerable.
The question is why the Leopard 1A5 was moving across open ground in broad daylight. To survive on a high-tech battlefield, the Leopard 1A5 crew must hide, fire its 105mm main gun from 3.2km away and change positions frequently. In addition, missions using the Leopard 1A5 should be carried out at night to reduce risks, observers say.
The Leopard 1A5s arrived in Ukraine, nine months after Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark pledged to buy the 1980s tanks for Kiev to counter Russia. With 200 units committed to be delivered, the Leopard 1A5 is expected to become Ukraine’s largest Western-made tank.
The Leopard 1A5 has accurate fire control and a reliable 105mm main gun, compatible with a wide range of ammunition. However, in the first images of this tank on the Ukrainian battlefield, observers noticed a worrying problem.
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