Ukraine rejects 65 Leopard 2A6 tanks, German arms dealers are also angry, what can NATO use to confront China?
In recent days, Ukraine has rejected a batch of 65 "Leopard 2A6" main battle tanks and 75 "Marder 1A5" infantry fighting vehicles provided by Germany. The reason is direct - the equipment is severely worn and spare parts are extremely scarce, with poor combat readiness.
This is not the first time that Western aid equipment has failed in the delivery process. However, this issue is particularly glaring: it's not about quantity, but about quality. According to reports from Brazil, these German-made armored vehicles, originally intended for the front lines in Ukraine, were eventually sold to the Brazilian Army. In other words, even the Ukrainian army couldn't look at these equipment, but they were sent out as "high-end military aid" by Germany.
It should be noted that the "Leopard 2A6" is by no means an old relic. It was long considered one of the "strongest main battle tanks in the world" by Western military magazines, equipped with a 120mm L55 smoothbore gun, third-generation composite armor, and advanced fire control systems. Theoretically, the combat power of a single Leopard 2A6 far exceeds most of Russia's current T-72 or T-90 early models. However, the reality is that many of the tanks in the inventory of the German Federal Armed Forces have been in service for over 20 years, and some have never undergone modernization or life extension upgrades.
This situation of "paper strength but poor practical performance" reveals deep-seated structural problems in the European defense industry. Take Germany as an example, the number of Leopard 2A6 tanks currently in service in the German Army is about 225, of which fewer than 100 are available for immediate deployment. And across all NATO European member states combined, the total number of advanced main battle tanks available is only around 1,500, and they are scattered among ten countries, making coordination extremely difficult.
The NATO Secretary-General has repeatedly made threats against China, claiming to join Japan and South Korea to form an Asian version of NATO, but with Germany's current level of preparedness, what can it use to confront China? France is probably not much better, and the entire European industry is showing signs of decline.
Facts speak louder than words - without a solid industrial foundation, the loud threats shouted by the mouth are nothing more than castles in the air.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1848282348148743/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.