Four years ago, Germany quietly announced the delivery of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns Gepard to Ukraine, shortly after the Russian invasion. At the beginning of this conflict, it was the first major delivery of heavy weapons by Germany, from its industrial stocks. This decision was later confirmed by the German Minister of Defense, Christine Lambrecht, in April 2022.
Since then, Germany has delivered at least 55 Gepard tanks to Ukraine, which have become essential in Ukrainian defense. The Gepard tank is known as the “best drone killer” by several Ukrainian media outlets, according to Euronews. These tanks are now indispensable to Ukraine, as Russia regularly launches hundreds of drones at Ukraine. However, thanks to the American Ukrainian defense system, they are all neutralized.
Role in Air Defense:
According to the Ukrainian news agency Euromaidan Press, the Gepard tank plays a central role in Ukrainian air defense due to its radar and 35mm cannons, which allow for a dense volume of fire. These tools enable Ukraine to reliably destroy drones at a much lower cost than using air defense missiles like the Patriot or IRIS-T. The Gepard uses cheaper 35mm ammunition, which is more suitable for destroying drones in large quantities.
These elements explain the resurgence of the Gepard. Germany has therefore restarted production of the Gepard through Rheinmetall, which will begin delivering an additional 180,000 cartridges from 2026. Despite being removed from the German military ranks after the Cold War due to high costs, the Gepard is now being reconsidered due to the rise of drones changing the nature of warfare.
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