Fast, aggressive, ready to fight – the world-famous M1 Abrams from the USA and the legendary Leopard 2 from Germany. After months of discussions, both main battle tanks are now going to Ukraine. What remains is the question: which is better? The US Beast or the Chained Predator? The Abrams has been the most powerful ground weapon in the US Army’s arsenal since its introduction in the 1980s. The M1A2 comes armed with a 120mm caliber smoothbore gun and requires a crew of four. Thanks to 1500 hp, the main battle tank has a top speed of 72 km/h off-road. Opposite him is the Leopard 2, supposedly the most modern main battle tank in the world. When comparing the technical data, both the Abrams and the Leo are almost congruent – not surprising, since both emerged from a joint tank project in the Cold War. The Leo also needs a crew of four soldiers. He also comes with 1500 hp. Its main weapon system is also a 120mm smoothbore cannon.
At 68 km/h, the top speed is around 4 km/h lower than that of the Abrams tank. The drive makes the big difference. The M1A2 Abrams is equipped with a gas turbine engine. He uses kerosene – liquid fuel for airplanes and not a little of it. According to the Pentagon, 700 liters per 100 kilometers. The German Leo runs on diesel – easier to get and available almost everywhere. The consumption is also significantly lower. Only 530 liters per 100 kilometers. In addition, the fighting ability at night should be a little better compared to the US beast. The fact is: It doesn’t matter whether it’s the Abrams or the Leopard 2, both models are considered to be extremely powerful and well protected with comparable armor.