chile Leopard 2A4CHL

[Chilean_Thunder 89]

 

 

Leopard 2A4CHL  

 

 

 

 

History:

Spoiler

In 2007 Chile bought 234 Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany. These were modified and called the Leopard 2A4CHL. The institution's new tanks were given the CHL designation by their manufacturer KMW because they have a series of modifications, including a communications system from Elbit's Tadiran company and the installation of a special kit on the turbochargers of the 12-cylinder MTU MB 873 Ka 501 4 engines , which allows them to operate without overheating problems at 4,300 meters above sea level.

 

The Leopard 2A4 CHLs use in their 120 mm L/44 smoothbore guns HEAT DM 12 multipurpose ammunition and KE DM 33 A2 and DM 63 armor piercing projectiles stabilized by fins with sabot disposable casing (APFSDS) from the German manufacturer Rheinmetall Defence. To this type of ammunition it recently added the IM HE-T high explosive tracer ammunition from Nammo.

 

FibroTex camouflage kit

In 2015, a FibroTex package was installed in a Leopard2A4CHL of the Chilean army. the kit tested was called "multispectral cloak" and was intended to be deployed on mobile and static platforms. The kit does not protect against attack but provides electro-optic mimicry and protection against electromagnetic detection, which helps make the tank much more difficult to detect and therefore not as easily prey to anti-tank missiles or other infrared-guided devices (SWIR) or thermal systems. It is presumed that the Chilean army implemented this kit to deal with the large number of anti-tank missiles that its neighbor Peru has, but since the Chilean army handles its purchases as a secret, it cannot be 100% confirmed, although this company has been selling to Chile since 2001 this type of camouflage and systems, even so there are images that show that the kit was implemented in Chilean tanks and also on the same official website of the FibroTex company Chilean tanks appear with the kit implemented.

 

Leopard2A4CHL with fibrotex camouflage kit

 

 

 

 

KE DM 33

 

The DM33 round was introduced in 1987 and perhaps is the most widely used 120mm tank round in the world. Compared to its predecessor DM33 features a further elongated and thinner penetrator. It also received a break-off tip to improve performance against complex targets. However it was not able to deal with the best soviet tanks of its time, due to its inability to reliably defeat Kontakt-5 ERA, which was demonstrated in the Swedish tank trials in the early 90ies. The propellant was once again modified, making it more consistent under different temperature conditions.

 

 

 

 

DM53 / DM63

Rheinmetall has developed the world's first temperature-independent high-performance tank ammunition, the DM 63 and DM 53 A1 (the latter is an upgraded version of the DM 53). What sets this round apart is its temperature-independent propulsion system (TIPS), which maintains its internal ballistic characteristics at a constant level through a broad temperature span. This new generation of ammunition is considerably more accurate and causes substantially less barrel erosion. The DM 63 can be used in climatic zones C2 to A1, and fired from any 120mm smoothbore tank gun.

 

 

 

 

120mm IM HE-T

The 120mm IM HE-T High Explosive Cartridge provides the armor forces with a devastatingly powerful HE warhead that greatly improves infantry support capability.

The IM HE-T™ will complement the tank’s current main gun ammunition with an Insensitive full-bore HE warhead capable of defeating a target set that includes bunkers, fortifications, light armor and personnel.

The two-mode hand-settable fuze allows the tank commander to select a point detonating (PD) function for maximum fragmentation/blast, or a delay function for detonation after target penetration.

 

 

 

The company Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército (Famae) plays a central role in sustaining the Chilean Leopard 2A4 CHL battle tanks. In recent years, the Chilean public company has implemented, through the Research, Innovation and Development Management (I2D), a series of programs to improve the capabilities of the Leopard 2A4 CHL tanks, among which the change of the Peri periscope gyroscopic system stands out. R-17 A1 to be able to use Leopard 1V tank gyros and modification of the digital ballistic computer card incorporating Nammo's 120 x 57 mm HE-T ammunition shooting table , which allows the execution of long and accurate indirect shots and firing against fortified targets and bunkers.

 

 

The Leopard2A4CHL has very powerful ammunition with high penetration capability, including DM 33 A2 and DM 63, so the ammunition it fires is more powerful than that of the standard Leopard2A4. It also has the 120mm IM HE-T ammunition that gives it great explosive capacity.

 

Chilean soldier loading a DM 33 A2 ammunition

 

Chilean soldier loading a DM 63 ammunition in a night operation

 

 

Chilean soldiers posing next to a 120mm IM HE-T ammunition from Nammo

 

 

 

Specifications:

Spoiler

Type: Medium tank

Country of origin :   Germany /Chile

Crew: 4 (commander, gunner, ammunition man, driver)

 

Dimensions:

Length: 7.72 m

Width: 3,7 m

Height 2.6 m

combat weight: 55 tons

Empty weight: 53 tons

 

Performance:

Engine: MTU MB 873 Ka 501 4 12-cylinder polyfuel that develops a maximum power of 1,500 hp at 2,600 rpm

Maximum speed: 72km/h

average ground speed: 51km/h

power to weight ratio: 27.27 hp/ton

Suspension: torsion bars

Autonomy: 550 kilometers

Transmission: Renk HSWL 354 with four forward and two reverse gears

fuel capacity: 1,200 liters

vertical obstacle: 1 meter

horizontal obstacle: 3 meters

wading capacity: 2.25 meters

Slope: 60%

Side slope: 30%

armor type: stratified multilayer

NBC system: yes

fire control system: EMES-15 from Atlas Electronics

night vision system: WBG-X thermal camera from Carl Zeiss (today Hensoldt)

Barrel stabilization system: electrohydraulic

 

Armament:

 

main armament: Rheinmetall 120mm L/44 smoothbore gun

ammunition: HEAT DM 12, IM HE-T, KE DM 33 A2 and DM 63

secondary armament: 7.62 x 51mm Rheinmetall MG-3 coaxial machine gun, 7.62 x 51mm Rheinmetall MG-3 anti-aircraft machine gun and 2 x 76mm Wegmann octuple smoke launchers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos:

Spoiler

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Personal opinion:

Spoiler

 

I think the main improvement to the Leopard 2A4CHL is the type of ammo it uses as they use KE DM 33 A2 and DM 63 which outperform the DM23 which uses the standard Leopard2A4 which is in the German tree. The other improvement is in the turbochargers that prevent it from overheating in the desert and works at 4,300 meters without problems, which gives the engine more power compared to the standard A4 version. It could also be implemented in the game with the FibroTex camouflage kit that would be a unique modification for the tank, making it a very special vehicle. I think this tank could go well as an event/premium because of the type of ammunition it uses and because of the fibrotex camouflage, I also think it could go on the israel tree that needs a little help and I would like it to keep the desert camouflage what characterize it. I would like to know what you think. 

 

 

 

Video:

Spoiler

 

 

FibroTex camouflage kit video

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3074673/leopard-2a4-chl-respuesta-chilena-desierto-altura

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_2

https://www.rheinmetall-defence.com/en/rheinmetall_defence/systems_and_products/weapons_and_ammunition/direct_fire/large_calibre/index.php  (rheinmetall official website)

https://germanarmor.blogspot.com/2020/04/german-120mm-tank-ammunition.html

https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3075063/rheinmetall-ofrece-municion-ejercito-chile (Chile buys KE DM 33 A2 and DM 63 ammunition from German manufacturer Rheinmetall Defence)

https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3864927/ejercito-chile-acredita-tiro-tanque-nuevos-municioneros-leopard-2a4

https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3207968/ejercito-chile-efectua-curso-municionero-tanque-leopard-2a4-arica

https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3075451/chile-organiza-simposio-internacional-sobre-futuro-armas-municiones

https://www.gd-ots.com/munitions/large-caliber-ammunition/120mm-imhet/

https://fibrotex-tech.com/mobile/ (official page of FibroTex special camouflage kit, the Leopard2A4CHL appear)

https://www.infodefensa.com/texto-diario/mostrar/3074404/infanteria-marina-chile-compra-redes-mimetismo-fibrotex

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Chilean_Thunder
update some photos

[TerikG2014 1,389]

Opened for discussion 

[Milocat 4,854]

+1 for a future South American tree, or failing at that, a German premium/event/battlepass vehicle.

[GG_EXOCET 0]

 

If you can't put the vehicle, it would be great if you could put the chili desert camouflage

Edited January 4, 2023 by GG_EXOCET

[Chilean_Thunder 89]

16 hours ago, GG_EXOCET said:

 

If you can't put the vehicle, it would be great if you could put the chili desert camouflage

Thank you very much for your support, I would also like you to keep the desert camouflage in the game that distinguishes it so well 

 

[Chilean_Thunder 89]

On 10/12/2022 at 17:30, Milocat said:

+1 for a future South American tree, or failing at that, a German premium/event/battlepass vehicle.

Thanks for the support, I see more possible that it enters for the German tree for the moment  

[Chilean_Thunder 89]

Update:

I found new information and photos about a special camouflage kit from the company FibroTex for the leopard2A4CHL. I added the new information and photos to the post, along with their respective sources. Also in the video section I added 2 official videos of how the FibroTex camouflage kit works

Edited February 13, 2023 by Chilean_Thunder

[modern_primat 182]

without camo kit, it is just copy paste.

[Chilean_Thunder 89]

2 hours ago, modern_primat said:

without camo kit, it is just copy paste.

only aesthetically. The ammunition of this leopard is more powerful than the standard one, also if it is added with the special camouflage it would give it a unique look. the leopard2A4 from sweden is indeed a copy paste

Edited February 15, 2023 by Chilean_Thunder

[VEIO_da_HAVAN 75]

nice tank! +1 for a future South American tree