A Ukrainian Leopard 2A6 loses a bogie wheel in a mine strike somewhere in Zaporizhia Oblast. The culprits, Soviet-era TM-62 anti-tank mines, can be seen in the lower right corner of the screen. Towards the end of the video a crewmember can be seen, possibly rigging the vehicle for recovery. The damage to the vehicle does not appear catastrophic. There is no indication that there were secondary detonations of the fuel or ammunition, and it is conceivable that the tank can be repaired and returned to service. The Leopard 2A6 was designed with survivability in mind – the bottom of the tank was reinforced to withstand mines, the ammunition compartment in the turret bustle has blow-out panels to direct explosive energy from the crew, and the driver sits in a sling and is insulated from shock energy reverberating through the hull.

About the Author

Cam

Cam served as an infantry officer in the Marine Corps, deploying to the Horn of Africa and participating in combat operations in Iraq. He currently works in the maritime industry and in the defense sector as an instructor of combined arms planning and operations. An avid sailor, Cam founded and directs a nonprofit that supports veterans and first responders through sailing.