by DAVID AXE
The first public imagery of a Ukrainian Leopard 1A5 tank converted into a Skyranger air defense vehicle is a reminder that the Ukrainian armed forces are on track to operate an array of vehicles using the reliable chassis of the classic 1980s tank.
Perhaps most notably, Kyiv has ordered 30 new C3105 tank turrets from John Cockerill Defense in Belgium. With those 30 turrets and one additional C3105 Kyiv acquired for testing last year, the Ukrainians should—some time in 2027—get a battalion set of new medium tanks combining a cutting-edge turret with a tried-and-true chassis.
Cockerill confirmed the C3105 order at the Eurosatory trade show in Paris in June. The order came 13 months after Brussels pledged an initial C3105 to Kyiv as part of a $1-billion aid package that also included medical equipment, portable drone-detection equipment, night-vision goggles, 16,000 guns and counterdrone systems
The C3105 is a plug-and-play turret combining a 105-millimeter main gun with a machine gun, day and night sensors and smoke grenades and other defenses, all in a two-person aluminum turret with an autoloader for the main gun. This upgrade could give Ukrainian Leopard 1A5s a critical advantage against Russian drone swarms.
