Leopard 2A4 (Italy)

This page is about the main battle tank Leopard 2A4 (Italy). For other versions, see Leopard 2 (Family).

◔Leopard 2A4

◔T-72M1

KF41

◔Leopard 2A4

◔T-72M1

KF41

Italy

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
10.3	10.3	10.3

Class:

Medium tank

Research:260 000

Purchase:710 000

Show in game

Description

The ◔Leopard 2A4 is a rank VII Hungarian medium tank with a battle rating of 10.3 (AB/RB/SB) in the Italian research tree. It was introduced in Update "Sons of Attila" as part of the Hungarian branch of the Italian tech tree.

General info

Survivability and armour

Composite armour

Balanced protection against all types of ammunition

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Self-entrenching equipment

Creation of ramparts and trenches in soft ground

Armourfront / side / back

Hull80 / 65 / 25

Turret80 / 80 / 25

Crew4 people

Visibility95 %

Leopard 2A4 Protection Density Visualisation

The Leopard 2A4's kinetic protection is reasonable, with the turret cheeks near-invulnerable to all but the most powerful rounds (e.g. CL3143) and the upper front plate capable of protecting against less powerful rounds (e.g. M735) - however besides these sections the remainder of the vehicle is largely vulnerable to high-powered kinetic rounds; of note are the weak lower front plate and the gun mantlet, both of which are reasonably visible targets, as well as the gunner's optics.

The vehicle sports significantly better all-round chemical protection, with an upper hull and turret essentially immune to all but the most powerful ATGMs frontally, with upwards of 800mm worth of equivalent protection in places. Despite this, it's advisable to be wary of incoming ATGMs as a well-placed round may sneak past the heavily protected areas - and some missiles such as those of the ADATS will slice straight through even the turret cheeks.

As with most other MBTs, the 2A4 is particularly vulnerable from the sides and back.

The Leopard 2A4 is reasonably survivable, with some degree of crew spacing. However, from certain angles, the crew are placed in a straight line and successful penetration may impact three of the four crew members, resulting in a crew knock-out. In addition, well-placed side shots may impact all three turret crew members.

Ammunition is stored in the primary ammunition storage in the rear of the turret, or in the secondary storage next to the driver. The primary rack provides crew protection through the use of blow-out panels, however only has space for 15 rounds. When more than 16 rounds are taken to battle, ammunition will be stored in the significantly more vulnerable hull rack.

The Leopard 2A4's protection proves acceptable for long-range combat, although it's ill-advised to remain in one location for any extended period of time to avoid opposing vehicles being able to hone their shots onto your weak spots. The 2A4's protection should not be relied upon in urban or other close-range environments.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear, and roof, turret sides, rear, and roof)
• High hardness rolled armour (hull front, turret front, gun mantlet)
• Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet frame)
• Composite screen (front side skirts)
• Structural stell (rear side skirts)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	35 mm (53-82°) Upper glacis 40 mm (51°) Lower glacis 30 mm (82°) Driver's hatch	10 mm (5°) Upper hull 35 mm Lower forward hull 20 mm Lower rear hull 5 mm Side Skirts 100 mm Composite screening	20 mm (11°) Upper plate 20 mm (17°) Lower plate 20 mm (50°) Lower glacis	35 mm (8°) Front glacis 20 mm (0-8°) Hull sides and engine deck 5 mm Engine vents
Turret	35 mm (32-44°) Cheeks incl. Gunner optics 120+16 mm Mantlet	35 mm Forward 15 mm Rear	10+25 mm (10°) Basket 20 mm (70°) Turret underside	40 mm (82-85°) Forward centre 14 mm (72-77°) Forward sides 20 mm Rear incl. cupolas

Composite armour	Front	Sides
Hull	Upper + Lower glacis 90 - 350 mm Kinetic 243 - 600 mm Chemical
Turret	Turret cheeks 420 - 800 mm Kinetic 535 - 820 mm Chemical Gun mantlet 100 - 270 mm Kinetic 300 - 480 mm Chemical	Side armour 194 - 260 mm Kinetic 280 - 400 mm Chemical

Notes:

• Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB76 / 35 km/h

RB and SB69 / 31 km/h

Number of gears8 forward

4 back

Weight55.2 t

Engine power

AB2 862 hp

RB and SB1 500 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB51.8 hp/t

RB and SB27.2 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	76	35	55.2	2,032	2,862	36.81	51.85
Realistic	69	31		1,327	1,500	24.04	27.17

The Leopard 2A4 (Italy) is powered by an MTU MB 873 Ka-501 engine which produces a whopping 1,500 hp (1,100 KW), resulting in a power-to-weight ratio of slightly over 27 hp per tonne, compared to the ratio of the early Abrams and identical to the T-80U. As such, the Leopard 2A4 (Italy) is quite mobile despite weighing over 55 tonnes, comfortably able to reach 72 km/h on-road and well capable of keeping up with its competitors. This allows for an active, aggressive playstyle, using the Leopard's high speed and good acceleration characteristics to get into an early flanking position or take early cap points - though it is important to keep in mind that opposition forces might attempt the same.

The Leopard 2A4 (Italy) has a maximum reverse speed of 31 km/h which it reaches easily, allowing for a quick retreat in sub-optimal situations.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB4 262 → 6 648

RB4 129 → 6 441

SB4 820 → 7 519

Total cost of modifications209 300

348 000

Talisman cost2 800

Crew training200 000

Experts710 000

Aces2 100

Research Aces1 080 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

150 / 190 / 240 %

232 / 232 / 232 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 Suspension Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 310 Brake System Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 310 Filters Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 Transmission Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 470 Engine Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 470	Improved Parts Research: 3 300 Cost: 17 000 350 Improved FPE Research: 3 000 Cost: 16 000 310 Crew Replenishment Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350	Horizontal Drive Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 120mm_NATO_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 Adjustment of Fire Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 310 Dozer Blade Research: 10 000 Cost: 16 000 310 Elevation Mechanism Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 Smoke grenade Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 NVD Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 350 Artillery Support Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 470 120mm_DM_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 470 Laser rangefinder Research: 15 000 Cost: 23 000 470

The first modifications to research should be Parts, FPE, and the DM13 round. After that, aim for the NVD, DM23, Laser rangefinder, or mobility upgrades, depending on the desired playstyle.

Armaments

Laser rangefinder

Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder

Night vision device

Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.

Thermal imager

Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Setup 1:120 mm Rh120 L/44 cannon

7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun

7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun

Setup 2:120 mm Rh120 L/44 cannon

7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun

7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun

Main armament

120 mm Rh120 L/44 cannon

Two-plane stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving

Ammunition42 rounds

First-order15 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

7.8 → 6.0 s

Vertical guidance-9° / 20°

The famous Rheinmetall L/44 120 mm cannon is mounted as the primary armament on the Leopard 2A4, offering a balance of firepower, accuracy and sustained rate of fire. The 2A4 has three rounds available to it: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS and DM23 APFSDS. Of these, only DM12 is available when the vehicle is stock, with DM13 a tier 1 and DM23 a tier 4 modification. The L/44 is reasonably accurate at long range with any ammunition, however minor round deviation may be evident at extreme ranges (over 2,000 m).

It's advisable to primarily rely on the best available APFSDS round for engaging other MBTs, however, retaining a couple of DM12 rounds can prove valuable against lighter vehicles such as the ADATS.

120 mm Rh120 L/44					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	42	-9°/+20°	±180°	Two-plane	38.1	52.7	64.0	70.8	75.3	7.80	6.90	6.36	6.00
Realistic					23.8	28.0	34.0	37.6	40.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
DM12	HEATFS	480	480	480	480	480	480
DM13	APFSDS	393	390	384	376	367	359
DM23	APFSDS	410	408	401	393	384	376

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
DM12	HEATFS	1,140	13.5	0.05	0.1	2.15	65°	72°	77°
DM13	APFSDS	1,650	4.44	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°
DM23	APFSDS	1,640	4.3	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Leopard 2A4 (Italy)

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	Visual discrepancy
42	16 (+26)	1 (+41)	No

Notes:

• Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
• Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack located within a blow-out containment
• It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank and emptied first when firing.
• If you pack 16 (+26) shells, it will keep the hull empty of ammo.
• Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 2. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
• Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

Machine guns

7.62 mm MG3A1 machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition4 600 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 200 shots/min

7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40 machine gun

Ammunition2 000 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate960 shots/min

The 2A4 is equipped with one pintle-mounted machine gun and one coaxial machine gun. These can be used as an anti-air deterrent or for clearing out light obstacles and crew from open vehicles.

7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Pintle	2,000 (200)	600	-10°/+75°	±180°

7.62 mm MG3A1
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	4,600 (200)	1,200	N/A	N/A

Usage in battles

The Leopard 2A4 may feel somewhat sluggish when stock, and the DM12 HEATFS round may appear to be relatively ineffective. Prior to researching improved rounds and engine modifications, it may be wise to play conservatively.

Once the vehicle's modifications are all researched, however, the 2A4 becomes significantly more mobile and has a competitive, albeit not impressive round in the DM23 APFSDS. The 2A4 can be used comfortably in both urban and rural environments, providing the vehicle's weaknesses are kept in mind. While it is capable in most forms of engagement, it does lack the precision of the British Challenger MBTs or the extreme round velocities of the Soviet T-64/T-80 series. The 2A4 also has a particularly large and blocky profile, making for a particularly visible target in many situations.

Considering the above, a Leopard 2A4 player should utilise its great mobility and competitive gun to get into early positions to pick off unsuspecting targets, rather than attempting to engage opposing forces head-on.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful engine, high top speed and acceleration
• Good neutral steering system
• Good gunner sight magnification for long-range engagements
• Reasonably high-velocity kinetic rounds
• Competent DM23 APFSDS
• Turret armour is mostly effective for hull-down engagements
• Primary ammunition is contained within a storage unit with blow-out panels
• Generation 1 thermals in the gunner sight

Cons:

• Hull armour is mediocre, particularly against kinetic rounds
• The stock DM12 HEATFS round can prove relatively ineffectual when compared to DM13/DM23, particularly against targets with ERA
• The gunner's optics are a weak spot, enemies who know how to aim can cripple your gun and kill your crew
• The gun mantlet is relatively weak while being quite prominent, penetration can disable the gun or knock turret crew out
• The turret cheeks can be penetrated by most APFSDS rounds when hit at the right angle
• Secondary ammunition storage is extremely vulnerable, although this is avoidable by carrying no more than 16 rounds
• Both machine guns are relatively light calibre, suffer from mediocre gun elevation and will not prove to be much more an annoyance to aircraft, particularly helicopters
• Blowout panels are unreliable and have a low capacity

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Leopard 2A4 (Italy) from live.warthunder.com.

See also

Related development

• Leopard 2 (Family)

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.