The Leopard 2 is a German third-generation main battle tank (MBT). Developed by Krauss-Maffei in the 1970s, it entered service in 1979. The Leopard 2 replaced the Leopard 1 as the primary battle tank for the West German army.
Various versions of the Leopard 2 continue to be used by the armed forces of Germany, as well as 13 other European countries, and several non-European states around the world, including Canada, Chile, Indonesia, and Singapore. Some operating states have licensed the Leopard 2 design for local production and domestic development.