The Leopard 2RI (Republic Indonesia) is a version of the Leopard 2A4 MBT upgraded by Rheinmetall with parts of their Revolution package. The first prototype of the Leopard 2RI was presented at Eurosatory 2014, but the final configuration has still changed after.

Image: Armored Warfare

It seems that the ROSY smoke screen system has not been adopted and a different types of headlights and driver night vision camera have been chosen for the final configuration. Another change comapred to the older configuration might be made to the hull – the current Leopard 2RI appears to lack any sort of specialized mine protection kit, which according to older sources was part of the Leopard 2RI at Eurosatory 2014.

Leopard 2RI inside Rheinmetall’s facilities – Image: below-the-turret-ring.blogspot.com

Aside of the addition of AMAP composite armor designed by the German company IBD, the Leopard 2RI also features electric turret drives instead of the previous hydraulic ones and an air-conditioning unit. The gun brakes have been improved, allowing the tank to fire the current generation of high-pressure APFSDS ammunition. The fire control system has been improved to allow firing programmable HE ammunition. Overall the Leopard 2RI should weigh slightly less than sixty metric tons, based on lacking a few features of the sixty tons Leopard 2 Evolution (IBD’s armor testbed, on which Rheinmetall based it’s Revolution tank).

Except for the additional armor modules, all changes have also been made to the Leopard 2A4+, the Indonesian version of the Leopard 2A4.

MBT Technologieträger and Leopard 2RI – Image: below-the-turret-ring.blogspot.com

The Leopard 2RI was also presented at the Rheinmetall Land Forces Symposium 2016 in Germany. It was located next to the current version of the MBT Technologieträger, a testbed based on Rheinmetall’s Leopard 2 Revolution.

The MBT Technologieträger is showing what Rheinmetall currently can offer for a tank upgrade and is also used for testing new parts. At the Land Forces Symposium 2016 the tank was shown for the first time with a thermal camouflage/cover – it is not exactly known if this is SAAB’s Barracuda MCS, the current market leading product, or based on the AMAP-S thermal cover manufactured by Rheinmetall. An interesting change compared to the previous version of the Technologieträger is the missing remote weapon station.

Image: Armored Warfare

The MBT Technologieträger can show future upgrade options for the Leopard 2RI. Compared to it, Rheinmetall’s demonstrator includes the longer-barreled L55 tank gun, superior optics with third general thermal imagers, the ROSY smoke screen system, the ADS active hardkill protection system, an APP and a 360° surveillance system with day and night sights.

Original post below-the-turret-ring.blogspot.com

*Note some images differ from actual post

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arronlee33

Published on Oct 6, 2017

I tried to search for Leopard 2A4+ and found out that it is actually the LEOPARD 2 RI (Republic of Indonesia) model. Source monch.com

Seems the LEOPARD 2 RI is lacking many features but may be upgraded in future.

Not included on LEOPARD 2 RI (Republic of Indonesia)

1. ROSY smoke screen system (not included)

The unique 40mm Rosy_L smoke protection system offers light military and civilian vehicles protection from unexpected attacks, e.g. during patrols or when travelling in convoys. Unlike the conventional smoke protection systems in use, Rosy_L is able to generate dynamic smoke screens as well as spontaneous, large-area and multispectral interruption of the line of sight (LOS). Moreover, its multimission capability represents a sure defence against stream and wave attacks. Due to its integrated IR jamming and decoying capabilities, Rosy_L effectively counters all TV-, EO-, IR-, IIR-, laser- and SACLOS-guided weapons. Rosy_L comprises a basic system with a control device and one to four ROSY launchers per vehicle. By means of a one-click adapter, the system can be quickly mounted to the vehicle without tools, and just as quickly removed and stowed.

The latest version of Rosy is the modular Rosy_Mod. It is designed for small weapon stations and light vehicles of the kind used by special operations forces. Rosy_Mod is integrated directly into the vehicle without a surface-mounted launcher, thus making it undetectable. Source rheinmetall-defence.com

2. Specialized mine protection kit

3. L55 tank gun

4. Modern optics with third general thermal imagers

5. ADS active hardkill protection system

6. APP

7.360° surveillance system with day and night sights

Stridsvagn 121 and 122 – Swedish version: Here

Indonesia’s Armor

Indonesia’s order covers 103 Leopard 2 tanks, 42 Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles, and 11 engineering vehicles divided roughly evenly between Armored Recovery Vehicles to tow tanks out of trouble, Mobile bridge-layers, and AEV armored engineering vehicles. The IFVs are from German Army stocks, and reports suggest that the tanks will be second hand as well. This may be why reports have mentioned or shown the Leopard 2A4 variant for Indonesia, even though recent sales to Qatar and Saudi Arabia have involved the 2A7 variant. Rheinmetall’s Leopard MBT Revolution kit has also been mentioned, with extra armor, 360 degree visibility from mounted sensors, and other changes designed to adapt the tanks for urban warfare and counter-insurgency. The ARVs, AEVs, and bridge-layers are expected to be based on the Leopard 2 chassis, and the used Marders are likely to see a few upgrades before shipment.

The new vehicles will represent a big upgrade in both firepower and defensive protection. Indonesia currently fields about 100 British FV101 Scorpion 90 light tanks, and 70 or so related Stormer APCs and specialty vehicles. 300 aged French AMX-13 light tanks accompany the Scorpions as high-caliber firepower, and they’re accompanied by 200 AMX-VTT armed personnel carrier derivatives. The AMX-13 tanks are a 1950s era design, but they’re also uniquely light at just 14.5t, which improves waterborne carriage options and helps in soft terrain. Indonesia is the tank’s largest user, and its neighbor Singapore remains the 2nd largest. By comparison, the Marder infantry carriers Indonesia is receiving are double the AMX-13’s weight, and Leopard 2A4s are almost 4x heavier at over 55t.

Indonesia Army Command – Image: defenseindustrydaily.com

Beyond its tracked vehicle fleet, a range of about 200 lighter armored cars round out Indonesia’s mechanized forces, plus over 150 locally made Pindad “Anoa” wheeled APCs that are used at home. A smaller set of French VAB wheeled APCs are used for foreign deployments.

There are some concerns within Indonesia that the new heavy armor will be too heavy for Indonesian roads and infrastructure, and questionably suited to its terrain. Indonesia’s fragmented geography is a challenging place to use tanks in any event, and the TNI-AD is forced to scatter its armored battalions across multiple islands. The Leopards and Marders don’t have to be suited to all of them, as long as they can find useful employment in a couple of places.

It’s worth noting that Singapore, the world’s 2nd largest user of AMX-13 tanks, bought Leopard 2A4 tanks in 2006.

Contracts

Nov 13/13: Contract valid. A Rheinmetall release offers key details of the actual deal, which “now comes into full force following the successful completion of all legal formalities.” The EUR 216 million deal involves:

“103 thoroughly overhauled and modernized Leopard 2 main battle tanks… 42 upgraded Marder 1A3 infantry fighting vehicles and 11 various armoured recovery and engineering vehicles, plus [support and]…. an initial supply of practice and service ammunition.”

At least some vehicles have already been delivered to Indonesia, as Leopard 2A4s and Marder 1A3s have already appeared in a Jakarta military parade on Oct 5/13, as envisaged. Remaining deliveries will take place from 2014 – 2016. Sources: Rheinmetall Defence , “Indonesia orders tracked armoured vehicles from Rheinmetall worth around €216 million”.

Original post defenseindustrydaily.com

Updated Oct 07, 2017