European countries would need to send a "fairly large number" of these weapons - like 100 or 200 - to Ukraine. Indeed, Leopard tanks "would be militarily useful depending on how many were sent," he said. Around 2,000 Leopards have been produced, and they could be sent to Ukraine in mass quantities at a quicker speed than other Western tanks. Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine Corps colonel and a senior advisor with the Center for Strategic International Studies security program, told Insider that the Leopard "is the right tank to send," as opposed to the British Challenger 2 or the M1 Abrams. Leopards are highly mobile and are a "little bit easier to maintain" than the American M1 Abrams, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh told reporters at a briefing last week, adding that "they can maneuver across large portions of territory before they need to refuel." It weighs about 70 tons but can travel up to 44 mph, has composite armor with ballistic and mine protections, and is armed with a 120 mm cannon, machine gun, and automatic grenade launchers. The Leopard 2 main battle tank was developed in the 1970s and has had operational experience in Afghanistan, Syria, and Kosovo. One military expert said the much-sought-after tanks are the "right" tanks to send to Ukraine at this moment and would be "militarily useful," but don't expect them to be a "silver bullet." These modern tanks are equipped with better armor, sensor suites, and weaponry than some of the older Soviet-era tanks that have largely dominated the battlefield in Ukraine. Germany has until now been reluctant to send its Leopards or permit other countries that operate the German-made armor to send tanks to Ukraine, even as a slew of senior European officials called upon Berlin to show a sense of urgency and give the go-ahead on these tanks. Other countries have signaled that they will do the same. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said on Wednesday that Berlin plans to send a company of 14 Leopard tanks to Ukraine with more to come later. Germany has finally approved the transfer of Leopard tanks to Ukraine after NATO members and other European partners spent weeks pushing the country to do so, and experts say it's what Kyiv needs right now. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders.
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