After the Turkish Army defeat at al-Bab, a knocked-out Leopard 2A4; an armored bulldozer and army equipment litter the ground. (Photo : YouTube)
Stupid tactics plus a lack of improved protection such as an active protection system (APS) has cost the Turkish Army fighting in northern Syria 10 of its precious German-made Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks, most to Russian-made anti tank missiles fired by ISIS militants.
The 10 Leopard were lost in a failed Turkish Army assault on the city of al-Bab on Dec. 22, 2016. The defeat of the Turkish attack is especially embarrassing because of the huge number of Leopards lost in this one action. ISIS also captured two Leopards and one FNSS ACV-15 amphibious armored combat vehicle during the battle.
The Turkish Army admitted the deaths of 16 of its men at al-Bab while claiming to have killed 67 ISIS militants. Media sources said the army lost 35 men killed in the fight for al-Bab in December.
The battle for this town located 25 kilometers from Turkey's border and deep inside ISIS-controlled territory began with a Turkish attack on the Al Farouq hospital west of the city. The assault failed.
ISIS militant posted videos of their victory on YouTube, with these videos showing the knocked-out Turkish Leopards. One of the Leopards had its turret blown off.
Media reports said the Turkish Leopards were knocked-out by missiles striking their less heavily armored sides and rear. It also questioned why the Turkish Army insisted on sending tanks into a city where they were vulnerable to attacks from all sides.
The Turkish Army operates the Leopard 2A4, an 30-year old model considered obsolete by the Bundeswehr (the German Armed Forces), which operates the newest model, the Leopard 2A7. The 2A7 is protected by a special composite armor, which includes layers of ceramic.
The Leopard 2A4 has neither composite armor nor an APS, rendering it vulnerable to older Russian made anti-tank missiles such as the Kornet that can penetrate armor up to 1.2 meters thick.
