Jaguar 2

Raketenjagdpanzer 4 Jaguar 2 was a German tank destroyer equipped with anti-tank guided missiles. It was only operated by the Bundeswehr.

Jaguar 2
Type - Tank destroyer
Place of origin - West Germany
Service history
In service - 1983-1993
Used by - West Germany
Production history
Manufacturer - Henschel / Hanomag
Produced - 1983-1985
No. built - 162
Specifications
Mass - 24.8 tons
Length - 6.61 m
Width - 3.12 m
Height - 2.55 m
Crew - 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader)
Armor - 50 mm steel + applique armour
Main armament - 1 × TOW missile launcher
Secondary armament - 1 × 7.62 mm MG3 machine gun / 8 × smoke dischargers
Engine - 29,4 liter MTU MB 837 Aa V8 water-cooled multi-fuel diesel-engine / 500 hp (368 kW)
Suspension - Torsion bar
Operational range - 400 km
Maximum speed - 70 km/h

From 1983 to 1985, 162 Kanonenjagdpanzers were converted to Raketenjagdpanzer 4 Jaguar 2. This was done by removing the main gun, adding a TOW launcher on the roof and adding applique armour. In 1989, the TOW missiles were replaced by the more potent TOW 2. In 1993, the Jaguar 2 tank destroyers were phased out in favour of the Jaguar 1A3, an upgraded version of the Jaguar 1.

The Jaguar 2 is a tank destroyer that follows the traditional casemate design of German tank destroyers. It is a rather light vehicle based on the "leichte Fahrzeugfamilie"-chassis, which was also used by the SPz Marder and the Jaguar 1. It is an all-welded steel construction, which has maximum thickness of 50 mm.

The base armour is formed by the Kanonenjagdpanzer chassis. It was made of welded steel and had a thickness of 10 to 50 mm steel. When the Kanonenjagdpanzers were upgraded, applique armour, consisting of perforated steel plates coated in a rubber-like substance, was fastened shock-mounted on the front of the vehicle and the side of the casemate structure. Leopard-like side-skirts were also added.
Further protection is provided by eight smoke dischargers, which are now installed on the glacis instead of behind the casemate.
The Jaguar 2's survivability is still mainly reliant on its low profile, high speed and long combat range, which exceeded the combat range of contemporary tanks.

The Jaguar 2 is armed with a TOW-launcher, an anti-aircraft MG3 and an MG3A1 in the hull. The TOW missile allows it to fight enemy tanks at long range; the maximum combat range was considered to be 3,750 m. In 1989, the TOW missiles were replaced by the more powerful TOW-2 missiles. Twelve missiles and 2,100 7.62mm rounds are stored inside the vehicle.

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