Poland receives surplus German tanks

.

24/7 Space News

.

Poland receives surplus German tanks
by Richard Tomkins
Warsaw, Poland (UPI) May 19, 2013

Mexico asks U.S. for sale of Humvees
Washington (UPI) May 19, 2013 - A possible sale to Mexico of more than 3,000 Humvee utility vehicles awaits congressional approval.

The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which notified Congress of the proposed Foreign Military Sales deal, said the Mexican army will use the vehicles in anti-crime and anti-drug operations.

"Mexico intends to use these defense articles and services to modernize its armed forces and expand its existing army architecture to combat drug trafficking organizations," the agency told Congress. "This will contribute to the Mexican military's goal of updating its capabilities, while further enhancing interoperability between Mexico and the U.S. and among other allies."

Mexico's shopping list: 3,335 M1152 High Mobility Multi-Purpose Wheeled Vehicles, spare and repair parts, support and test equipment, communication equipment, personnel training and training equipment, and logistics support.

The principal contractor would be AM General and at least four U.S. government or contractor representatives would be required to travel to Mexico for three years for operational and maintenance training.

The value of the deal would be $556 million.

The first batch of surplus Leopard 2A5 main battle tanks sold by Germany to Poland have been delivered to a Polish cavalry brigade.

The tanks -- 11 in all -- arrived in Zagan, Poland, by train last Friday, with more due this year and next, according to the publication Dziennik Zbrojny.

Under an intergovernmental agreement signed last year, Poland is acquiring 105 Leopard 2A5 tanks from Germany Army, or Bundeswehr, stocks, as well as 14 2A4 variants, 18 armored recovery vehicles, 120 Mercedes and Unimog trucks, light off-road vehicles and other equipment.

The deal has a value of more than $246 million.

Prior to the arrival of the tanks last week, the 34th Armored Brigade of the Polish Army has been equipped with PT-91 light tanks.

The Leopard 2, made by Krauss‐Maffei Wegmann, first came into service with the German Army in 1979. It weighs 68.7 tons, has a speed of about 45 miles per hour and an operational range of 340 miles.

Dziennik Zbrojny said the government plans to upgrade the tanks with new electric stabilizers for the main gun, add-on armor, a new auxiliary power unit and other equipment. So far only Polish Defense Holding -- teamed with Krauss Maffei-Wegman – have bid on the contract.

.

Related Links
The latest in Military Technology for the 21st century at SpaceWar.com

Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks

Saudi company to sell Xenonics' night-vision equipment
Carlsbad, Calif. (UPI) May 15, 2013
Xenonics Holdings Inc., a producer of low-light and night-vision products, has appointed a Saudi Arabian company as its exclusive international agent. Under their agreement, Saudi International Military Services Ltd, is to pay an undisclosed fee to Xenonics for the exclusivity as well as fees based on the volume of its sales of Exenonics products. The arrangement is for an initia ... read more

LRO View of Earth

Saturn in opposition tonight, will appear next to the moon

Russia to begin Moon colonization in 2030

Astrobotic Partners With NASA To Develop Robotic Lunar Landing Capability

NASA Mars Rover Curiosity Wrapping Up Waypoint Work

Cascading dunes in a martian crater

MAVEN Solar Wind Ion Analyzer Will Look at Key Player in Mars Atmosphere Loss

Against the current with lava flows

A light-speed voyage to the distant future

US spacecraft enters giant asteroid's orbit

Chris Hadfield's 'Space Oddity' video to be taken off YouTube

'Convergent' Research Solves Problems that Cross Disciplinary Boundaries

Moon rover Yutu comes closer to public

The Phantom Tiangong

New satellite launch center to conduct joint drill

China issues first assessment on space activities

Rounding up the BCATs on the ISS

Botanical Studies, Dragon Departure Preps for ISS Crew

NASA hopes to continue cooperation with Russia on ISS

Three astronauts land back on Earth in Soyuz capsule

SpaceX-3 Mission To Return Dragon's Share of Space Station Science

SpaceX supply capsule heads back to Earth

Replacing Russian-made rocket engines is not easy

Pre-launch processing begins for the O3b Networks satellites

Giant telescope tackles orbit and size of exoplanet

Odd planet, so far from its star

New Exomoon Hunting Technique Could Find Solar System-like Moons

Length of Exoplanet Day Measured for First Time

Is there really cash in your company's trash?

Computer simulations enable better calculation of interfacial tension

Professors' super waterproof surfaces cause water to bounce like a ball

New Technique Safely Penetrates Top Coat for Perfect Paint Job

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2014 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement All images and articles appearing on Space Media Network have been edited or digitally altered in some way. Any requests to remove copyright material will be acted upon in a timely and appropriate manner. Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service.