The Ukrainian war has caused not only a shortage of wheat but also a shortage of tanks

Since the start of the Ukraine-Russia war, European countries have provided Ukraine with a large number of arms. Initially, they sent mostly light guided anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. Then artillery systems and other weapons and equipment started to flow to Ukraine. This included armored vehicles, but the delivery of main battle tanks took some time.

Initially, this was probably due to the unpredictability of how long Ukraine would be able to resist. It also gave the appearance that the Western world was afraid of provoking Moscow, as no one could foresee exactly what Russia wanted to do. But Ukraine's resilience and successes changed everything over time. 

First, Britain decided to send 14 Challenger 2 main battle tanks and two Challenger armored repair and recovery vehicles to Ukraine. This was followed by Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Spain announcing that they would send Leopard 1 and 2 tanks. Thus, a large number of tanks were on their way to Ukraine.

This aid strengthened Ukraine's hand, but caused problems in the donor countries. These problems stemmed from the fact that the tanks sent to Ukraine could not be replaced in the short term. This was because most tank factories in Europe had been shut down for a long time without receiving any orders. 

Sweden and Switzerland had stopped producing and developing their own tanks years ago. They continued to produce Leopard 2 tanks under license for a while, but then closed down their production facilities for this tank as well. The UK had tank factories in two different cities, but these had ceased production some time ago. In France, the Leclerc tank used to be produced in workshops in three different cities. The workshop that produced the turret of the tank was shut down long ago. Only modernization activities can be carried out in the factory where the hull is produced.

Germany is currently in the best position in this regard. In fact, Germany used to produce the most tanks in Europe. At the peak of demand, 300 Leopard 2 tanks could be produced annually. But even in Germany, there is only one tank production workshop/factory. This plant produces new Leopard 2A7s and modernizes older tanks. 

Despite the fact that there is only one factory left, tanks are still being produced, and Germany is still the leading country in Europe in terms of tank production. For this reason, many European countries have lined up to buy tanks from Germany. Following the orders placed by Hungary and Norway, it is rumored that the Czech Republic will also request the purchase of tanks.

Italy wants to buy more than 100 tanks. Germany also wants to procure more than 100 tanks for its army. This situation seems to force the German tank industry to work very hard. Because Germany is not only expected to produce tanks. Countries that have old model Leopard tanks have also started to knock on Germany's door for the modernization of these tanks.

As a result, countries that urgently want to procure tanks have started to turn to other sources due to the prolonged procurement period. Poland, for example, turned to South Korea and placed an order for the Hyundai Rotem K2 main battle tank, which can be procured very quickly. 

This is not only a problem for European countries. Russia has the same problem, albeit for different reasons than Europe. The Russian Army lost a large number of main battle tanks in the Ukrainian War. The T-72 tank was lost the most. T-72 tanks were produced between 1973 and 1990 (21,000 in total), but some were sold to other countries. 

The T-90 tanks, an improved version of the T-72, are still in production. The latest tank model produced from the T series is the T-14 Armata. In other words, Russia can produce its own tanks. However, since the casualties have increased a lot, there are problems in meeting the number of tanks produced.

Because even if all the problems related to capacity increase are solved, it does not seem possible to meet the need for tanks in a short time. The production of a main battle tank requires at least two years from the signing of the contract to the first delivery. It is clear that procurement times will be much longer, as there is a queue in demand due to the reduction in production facilities.

While Europe and Russia face these problems, current developments may create opportunities for Turkey. Although the production of the Altay tank has been delayed considerably due to a change of company halfway through, its production can be accelerated and put on sale. In other words, it is possible to get a share of the increasing demand. Moreover, the tank can be sold not only to European countries but also to Russia. If we can buy S-400s from Russia, why not tanks?

Note: The source for this article was the Shephard magazine dated May 11, 2023.