{"id":25078,"date":"2018-03-20T15:08:59","date_gmt":"2018-03-20T15:08:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/03\/20\/singapore-denies-acquisition-of-new-leopard-tank-variant\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:11:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:11:43","slug":"singapore-denies-acquisition-of-new-leopard-tank-variant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/global\/asia-pacific\/2018\/03\/20\/singapore-denies-acquisition-of-new-leopard-tank-variant\/","title":{"rendered":"Singapore denies acquisition of new Leopard tank variant"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

MELBOURNE, Australia \u2015 Singapore is denying it took delivery of Leopard 2A7 main battle tanks from Germany<\/a>, contradicting a report by a Swedish nongovernmental organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A spokesperson from Singapore\u2019s Ministry of Defence told Defense News that \u201cno other variants of the Leopard has been acquired\u201d since the country ordered Leopard 2A4 tanks from Germany in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spokesperson was responding to queries following the publication of the annual arms transfer database by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which says Singapore received 12 Leopard 2A7 tanks from Germany between 2016 and 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two separate sources close to Singapore\u2019s Leopard 2 program have also told Defense News they are unaware of Singapore adding the Leopard 2A7 into its inventory, with one citing the additional logistics burden of operating different subsystems on the Leopard 2A7 from its existing fleet of tanks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite denying the acquisition of the Leopard 2A7, it does look like Singapore is ordering additional Leopard 2 tanks, with the German government\u2019s annual military equipment export report stating that a further seven was delivered to Singapore in 2016. German government reports previously indicated that export licences for $402.6 million worth of \u201ctanks, armoured bridgelayers, armoured engineering vehicles, trucks\u201d and associated parts were granted to Singapore in 2014, although no specifics were mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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An upgraded Singapore Army Leopard 2SG tank in 2017. (Mike Yeo\/Staff)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Singapore initially ordered a total of 96 Leopard 2 tanks drawn from surplus German stocks in 2004, with 66 put into service and the remaining 30 reportedly gazetted for spares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Further orders have been made prior to the 2016 deliveries, with Germany declaring the export of 161 Leopard 2 tanks to Singapore between 2007 and 2012 in its reports to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms database. Singapore declared the receipt of 156 Leopard 2A4s during the same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\t