Austria has received its first upgraded Leopard 2A4 main battle tanks and Ulan infantry fighting vehicles at the Austrian Armed Forces’ Jansa Barracks in Großmittel.
The deliveries represent the first stage of a modernization program launched in 2023 to upgrade 170 tracked combat vehicles by 2029. The program covers 58 Leopard 2A4 tanks and 112 Ulan infantry fighting vehicles.
The overall modernization initiative is expected to cost approximately €765 million ($891.4 million), significantly above the government’s initial estimate of €561 million ($654.2 million).
The fleet upgrade is a key component of Austria’s “Development Plan 2032+,” which seeks to preserve the long-term readiness of the country’s mechanized forces without requiring the acquisition of completely new ground vehicle platforms.
KNDS and General Dynamics Lead Modernization Work
Under the Leopard 2A4 upgrade, German defense company KNDS is replacing the tanks’ hydraulic turret drives with electric systems, restoring night-fighting capabilities, and enhancing their digital fire-control and optical systems to bring them closer to the A7 configuration.
General Dynamics European Land Systems-Steyr is simultaneously conducting the Ulan life-extension program. The work includes upgrades to onboard electrical circuits, optics, turret electronics, and drive components.
Following completion, the upgraded Leopard tanks will undergo additional integration at the Austrian Army Logistics Center before entering operational service. The modernized Ulan vehicles, meanwhile, will be transferred directly to active military units.
