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 Aerospace
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Defence Industry – Industry Press Release – February 2011 Swiss Military Announces Sale of 12 Surplus Leopard 2A4 tanks: Pz87 Leos  to Become  Rebuilt  CF  Armoured Engineer Vehicles Courtesy of  DND's  Swiss opposites, another piece of  the CF's  ongoing  Leopard 2 tank puzzle has fallen into place. The original Tank Replacement Project  LOI  revealed few details on support vehicles. For unknown reasons, ARV 3 Büffel recovery vehicles were included in the TRP but armoured engineer vehicles weren't. Instead, the planned AEVs were placed under the separate but undeniably linked  Force Mobility Enhance- ment project. This FME covered all support implements to be attached to Leopard 2s (dozer blades and mine-rollers), AEVs, as well as another 2-to-4 ARVs. Confused yet? Certainly the Auditor-General found DND's explanation for and execution of  the Tank Replacement Project hard to follow.  Now, from the citizens' point-of-view, some bright spots have appeared. First was the deployment of the first Leopard 2A4M CAN tanks. These five vehicles are the first  tangible evidence of  progress in the TRP and, clearly, the priority was getting tanks to Afghanistan with needed upgrades  but minimal  fuss. The second clarification comes courtesy of the Swiss military's procurement department.  In its press release, the Swiss explain to their citizenry the disposal of 12 surplus Leopard 2A4s (or Pz 87 Leos as the Swiss Army know them ) to Canada. Three details are noteworthy here. The first is the number of vehicles. Twelve Pz87 hulls are being sold  (this sale doesn't include armament or Swiss Army communications equipment). The second is mention of the 'home product' engineer vehicle conversion, RUAG's AEV-3 Kodiak, already in Swiss service. The third is that armasuisse, the Swiss equivalent to DND procurement is responsible for both "procurement of complex systems" and disposal of  its surplus. The number 12 is significant because DND seemed to be 'missing' that number for AEV conversions – along with three more hulls for ARV conversion and spares. The mere mention of  RUAG's AEV doesn't  mean that DND has committed  to Swiss conversions – although that might explain the purchase of surplus Pz87s when other surplus Leo 2A4s are available. And, finally, the Swiss procurement system provides another model for Canadians to compare with  DND and  PWGWC, et al. Somehow, one can't see  armasuisse  being allowed to take decades to choose new military equipment nor years to dispose of its surplus kit. An edited version of the DDPS/armasuisse press release on the Pz87 Leo sale follows: Sale of surplus Leopard 2 Battle Tanks to Canada Bern, 10.02.2011 – Switzerland sells 12 surplus Leopard 2  Battle Tanks (Pz 87 Leo) to Canada. The battle tanks supplied without armament and further components will be converted to protected special vehicles. Following the reduction of military strengths in connection with Armed Forces 95 and Armed Forces XXI  [the Swiss military transformation plans], various weapon systems were decommissioned,  mothballed,  sold,  or  disposed of.  The Leopard 2  Battle Tank ( Pz 87 Leo ) is one of many systems  [...]  no longer needed  in the originally procured quantity.  Part of  the Pz 87 Leo fleet was therefore mothballed at various storage sites. From the units of  the Pz 87 Leo fleet of  the  Swiss Armed Forces, which are not  fore- seen  for the quality maintenance program and  not  among the vehicles designated as spare material, 12 vehicles [have now been] sold to Canada, which is already operating Leopard 2 Battle Tanks  [ the Leopard 2A6M CAN and now Leopard 2A4M CAN]. The vehicles supplied to the Canadian Forces will be converted to support vehicles. The Pz 87 Leo are not sold in fully equipped condition. Among others, the following assemblies are removed: armament, radio-and inter-phone systems. The components which are not supplied are used as spare parts by the Swiss Armed Forces. [ Swiss government department ] armasuisse, the Competence Center for the procure- ment of complex systems, was tasked by the Head  DDPS [1] with the performance of the contract and the sale of  the surplus equipment. The export of  surplus armaments is subject to the War Material Ordinance, and to approval by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs in Bern. The sale of  the Pz 87 Leo is in compliance with the Federal Council decision of  10 March 2006 regarding the utilization of  surplus war material of the Swiss Armed Forces.  The parties agreed not to disclose the terms of sale. [1 –  DDPS is a French or  Italian acronym for the Swiss Department of  Defence, Civil Protection and Sport.  In the majority Swiss German language – and as a departmental url – the abbreviation VBS is used  for Verteidigung, Bevölkerungsschutz und Sport.] Background on Pz 87 Leo The Pz 87 Leo (Leopard 2) was procured for the mechanised units of the Swiss Armed Forces with Armament Program 84  (AP 84 ). Of  the 380  Pz 87 Leo originally deployed with the forces between 1987 and 1993, 134 [tanks upgraded by RUAG through AP06 in 1987].  The battle tanks, which have reached the first half of  their planned service life,  are adapted to the changed requirements with the necessary maintenance work. Of the Pz 87 Leo decommissioned [... twelve ...] were converted to armoured engineer and mine clearing vehicles [ RUAG AEV-3 Kodiak ]. This special tank, which is used in combination with the Pz 87 Leo, is based on the tank chassis with  [...]  new super- structures and additional equipment for the engineer service and for mine clearing. Adresse für Rückfragen: Sonja Margelist Deputy Head Communication 031 324 60 42