Germany presented its newly developed Leopard 2A8 tank in Munich on Wednesday, as the European Union unveiled a new defense spending package amid continuing tensions with Russia.
According to reports from German news agency dpa, the German Armed Forces will receive the first vehicles for testing in 2026 and will conduct intensive suitability tests.
The first battalions will then receive the vehicles, starting with soldiers from the Lithuanian Brigade stationed in the Baltic States to protect the eastern flank.
A range of other European nations including the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and Czechia have also placed orders for the tank, according to dpa.