About that Turk Leopard 2 taking a catastrophic hit and getting ammo racked...

Thanks to Drinas for the link!



This one has been interesting.  I saw it being discussed on the blog yesterday and I wanted to see what some of the pure armor forums were saying about the incident before I commented.

First.  Some are saying that it might be the result of a "sympathetic" explosion due to other vehicles being seen in close proximity to the tank before the explosion.

I seriously doubt that to be the case.  Unless they hit a truck that was carrying 155mm artillery shells then I would think that the Leopard would have fared better.  Maybe destroyed but to be totally eviscerated like it was?  Just not plausible.

Additionally I don't see a crater.  Just a tank that's been ripped apart.  That kills a second theory that's floating that it was possibly a combination of a left over very large IED combined with the anti-tank missile that did the deed (note in the case of this theory its assumed that it wasn't a coordinated IED/missile attack, just bad luck for the crew).

Which leaves the obvious.  A heavyweight Anti-Tank missile was used to blast this tank into oblivion.

How many of you remember the US Army going batshit crazy because suddenly the M1A1 was found to be vulnerable to RPG-29's IF THEY HIT A SPECIFIC SPOT on the hull?

I do. 

They fixed that vulnerability and they're taking steps to improve on the tank even further due to emerging threats.

I can't nail it down because I just don't have the time to dig thru German Tank Forums but from what little I've read they're suspecting that the same type issue is facing the Leopard 2A4's that Turkey uses.

I tend to agree.

Watch the video again. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to imagine the impact point (especially considering the explosion) after looking at the image below.

The problem is obvious.

The Leopard 2A4 IS A GOOD TANK!

It's just not built for Counter Insurgency Combat!

Many are gonna jump all over the idea that they have 15 shells stowed in the hull.  But check out the following pics.

I know the pics are hard to make out but they showed that when the Leopard 2 was first introduced it was designed to be resistant to Russian guns of the time into the future.

It was also built to be resistant to anti-tank missiles of the era.  The caveat? It was hull down facing the threat.

The tank wasn't designed to be involved in 360 degree warfare.  It was made to stare the enemy in the eye, to take hits, give them back better than it got and then to get to the next defensive position to do it all over again.

Everyone is so in love with the German Army of WW2 that they don't realize that the Leopard 2 was built as a defensive tank first.  Not offensive.

My belief is that we're seeing an unknown heavy anti-tank missile get a lucky hit MAYBE in an unplanned top attack on the front hull of the Turk Leopard.  I think it penetrated the compartment, set off those rounds and it was all over but the tears.

Side note.  I find it interesting and noteworthy that for the VAST majority of my audience, I'm hearing sympathy, respect and all around "rest in peace" for the pilot of the Russian attack plane but nothing for this Turk tank crew.  I think that says it all for where most of my audience is when it comes to the conflict in Syria.