The ordeals of Leo the tank

Press, 7 December 1976, Page 25

The ordeals of Leo the tank

By '

TONY GERAGHTY,

of the “Sunday Tinies.

London.

In a desolate military wilderness near Aberdeen in Maryland, a unique pro totype of West Germany’s Leopard 2 battle tank is being tested almost to destruction by hard-driving United States Armv crews. The event is unlikely tu

sweeten relations between N.A.T.O.’s two most powerful armies, both of

which — as a report in “The Press” on November 19 revealed — have been given free access to Britain's ret olutionary new Chobham tank armour.

The Leopard is the pride of German engineering, derived from 16 pro-

totypes and four years of chassis tests in hot desert and Arctic-cold conditions, together with engine tests totalling 4300 hours. The new prototype, looking the worse for wear after several weeks in the hands of America’s leading tanktesters, was conceived with Teutonic thoroughness as N.A.T.O.’s main battle tank for the next 20 years, with a market potential of 10.000 vehicles, worth SBOOOM. “Leo.” as its friends know it, is the only visible rival to America’s Chrysler XM-1 in a care-fully-controlled contest to select the United States army’s next battle-tank. The Germans, Americans, and even the British (who have a tank gun to sell), are becoming ultra-sensi-tive about the fairness of the tests.

What happened to “Leo” after it was shipped from Hamburg in September is known only to the competition observers

who. by the rule? of the game, may not lift so much as a crowbar to help a limping tank on its way. But already, on both sides of the Atlantic. Leo's friends and opponents out side the proving ground agree that: 1. At least one of leo< tracks disintegrated during a 45 m.p.h. drive across rough country; 2. The suspension is regarded as suspect by some United States crews; 3. Doubts have been ex-pre--ed abou’ the ffc* • trol system regulating the main gun's accuracy and rate of fire.

In Washington. Leo's friends hint that the track breakage was caused by speeds exceeding anything required by the test, or even by war itself. Problems with the suspension. it seems, are a

matter of design philosophy. The Germans like a solid, unyielding weapons platform. The Americans prefer a fast, comfortable ride which cuts dov n crew fatigue. In practice, the deeper suspension favoured by the Americans can cause greater recoil when the gun is fired, and may even affect accuracy during rapid fire. A former German Panzer officer commented sardonically: “You can have your soft ride and be dead pretty soon, or shoot straight and survive, even if you get a little stiff in the process.” It is also pointed out that the fire control is an American sub-system, built in to the tank in the interests of NA.T.O. solidaritv.