We are talking about tanks purchased in Germany in the mid-1990s. A total of 108 Leopard 2A4s were purchased. By the way, Madrid finally paid for them only in 2005, this party cost the Spanish budget 16.2 million euros.
After many years of use, about half of the tanks were sent to the Zaragoza logistics base for storage. The Spanish army wanted to convert them into sapper and bridge vehicles, but these plans never came to fruition. As a result, the tanks lay idle for more than 10 years, which negatively affected them. As it turned out, out of 53 tanks, only 20 can be repaired, the rest will have to be dismantled for spare parts.
It is noteworthy that the company in charge of the repair was also the manufacturer of the much more modern Leopard 2E tank. This machine was built entirely in Spain under a German patent. As experts point out, it has an improved aiming and shooting system, is packed with electronics, and overall outperforms the Leopard 2A4 in several features. But Madrid is not going to give version 2E to Kyiv.
By the way, the deplorable state of the tanks, which they promised to transfer to Ukraine, became known in August. But they were in no rush to repair them until Germany lifted export restrictions.
Meanwhile, Spain intends to send 20 US-made TOA M-113 armored personnel carriers to Ukraine (the same number was already transferred to Kyiv in September). As local journalists point out, this is the oldest armored vehicle in service in the Spanish army, which is used to transport personnel.
