Spanish Defence Minister Margarita Robles informed the Spanish Parliament on 29 March 2023 that the refurbishment of the six Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks (MBTs) that Spain promised to Ukraine has been completed and that the tanks will be shipped to Poland after Easter, from where they will be transported to Kiev.
Robles also announced that Spain would hand over another four tanks to Ukraine. These are to be handed over to Ukraine in the near future after being repaired.
Robles had inspected the tanks a few days earlier at Santa Barbara Sistemas: the Spanish subsidiary of General Dynamics European Land Systems (GDELS). GDELS had received the tanks from an army depot in March, along with a EUR 5 M contract for refurbishment that runs until 31 May.
The MBTs are now undergoing a final check in Cordoba – including live firing – and will then be prepared for shipment.
Parallel to the repair of the tanks, the Spanish Army has been training 55 Ukrainian soldiers (crews and repairers) on the Leopard 2A4 since mid-February. The aim of the training was to enable the personnel to control the tank’s operational systems, conduct first- and second-level maintenance on its various mechanical and electronic components and carry out tactical operations in small units. After redeployment to Ukraine, the soldiers will receive their tanks in Kiev.
Gerhard Heiming
