Leopard 3
The Leopard 3, also known as the Leopard 2AX, is a fourth-generation German main battle tank.
Germany plans to procure the Main Ground Combat System as a successor to the Leopard 2. Since the MGCS is not expected to be ready before the 2040s, the German Army expressed a requirement for an interim solution to address immediate operational needs. The development of the Leopard 3 was kicked off in Early 2025 and it is expected to enter production in the early 2030s. It is designed with a service life of 25 years. As of July 2025, the German Army has expressed a total requirement for 1,000 additional tanks, which would be composed of a mix of Leopard 2A8, Leopard 3, and MGCS units.
Design
Early design information
The changes that were mentioned from the Leopard 2A8 include:- A new tank gun: with a 50% increased kinetic energy compared to the Rh-120.
- Munitions:
- * DM11, a multifunctional combat ammunition for fire support
- * DM13, standard APFSDS
- * DM23, higher energy APFSDS
- A new engine from Liebherr. KNDS Deutschland received a contract to offer an alternative engine with the project OLYMP, with the aim to improve the mobility. The project OLYMP also includes a transmission, steering, and cooling systems.
- Hensoldt would supply the MUSS 2.0 countermeasure system against modern ATGM.
- Remote turret with an automatic loader and a crew of three people.