Norway Picks Leopard 2A7 Tank over S.Korean K2

Germany’s Leopard 2A7 beat out South Korea’s K2 Black Panther to become the Norwegian army’s next main battle tank (MBT).

In a recent press release, the country’s defence ministry said it is buying 54 MBTs of the Leopard 2 type from German Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, with an option to purchase an additional 18 units. The first MBTs are expected to be delivered in 2026.

Aside of their ability to defeat enemy forces, the two “strong candidates” were tested for industrial cooperation opportunities, operational cooperation, logistics and life-cycle support.

The new German-made MBTs will be phased in from 2026 through 2031. The acquisition is within the cost limit of NOK 19.7 billion ($1.9 billion) set by the Norwegian parliament.