German Bundeswehr tanks and what they can do

The main battle tank (MBT) is the "best-armored vehicle" on the battlefield with heavy firepower. The Leopard 2 is described as "a highly mobile cross-country vehicle with track drive and one very powerful gun as the main armament in a 360-degree rotating turret," plus at least one machine gun. Examples include the U.S. M1 Abrams, the British Challenger 2, and the French Leclerc.

The "tank howitzer 2000" artillery system is a track-mounted vehicle with a cannon that can fire shells over 60 kilometers (37 miles). It is capable of a very high rate of continuous fire, with its shells automatically reloaded.

These vehicles are deployed on the front line, protect against small arms fire and offer almost the same protection as a main battle tank. Their main task is to transport infantrymen into the battlefield. Infantry fighting vehicles accompany and protect main battle tanks on the battlefield. They are equipped with light cannons and often with armor-piercing guided missiles.

The Puma is more advanced than the Marder with an increased combat range. It has a fully stabilized canon with a caliber of 30 millimeters. There is no crew in the turret of the tank; the weapon is remotely controlled.

The armored personnel carriers Fox and Boxer are designed to transport an infantry squad, casualties, or ammunition and are only lightly armed. This means that they can usually only stand up to the light and medium infantry weapons.

Small, fast, low-noise, and only lightly armed vehicle on wheels: The Fennek is the successor to the Luchs and the Bundeswehr's main reconnaissance vehicle. It has level 3 armor protection and can be outfitted with a variety of machine guns. The Fennek or Luchs do not correspond to the "reconnaissance tanks" AMX-10 RC that France wants to supply to Ukraine, which have a larger gun.

The "Buffalo" armored recovery vehicle enables the Bundeswehr to recover tanks and other heavy equipment that have broken down under fire on the battlefield.

The "Beaver" is a bridge-laying tank designed to make rivers and trenches passable.

The "Cheetah" is an all-weather self-propelled anti-aircraft tank that was developed in the 1960s, fielded in the 1970s, and has been upgraded several times with the latest electronics. It has been a cornerstone of the air defense of the Bundeswehr and a number of other NATO countries. It was phased out in late 2010 and replaced by the Wiesel 2 Ozelot light anti-aircraft tank.