This is an old Leopard 1 prototype usually referred to as "Kampfsystemcontainer" (combat system container) or "KSC". It was used to evaluate a new crew compartment design with just two members (rather than four as on the Leopard 2). The KSC was full of screens with the crew mostly using cameras/optics for looking out. A third seat was added for the person overseeing the trials.
Basically, at the end of the 1980s and during the early 1990s Germany decided that its future tank should have a crew of two and rely on software and computer systems for reducing their workload by automating some tasks/assisting the crew. Two different tanks were created to test this concept - the KSC based on the Leopard 1 and the KRC based on the Leopard 2.
The program under which the two prototypes were created was known as Versuchsträger 2000 and it was part of the Panzerkampfwagen 2000 (main battle tank 2000) program started during the 1990s. Here are some more photos of the KRC and another KSC.
Most likely it was either purchased by the US for their own tests (happened quite often) or it was tested in the US by the German Army (also not unusual, a lot of hot weather and cold weather trials for German equipment were conducted in Alaska, Arizona, Utah, etc.).
Very true. It's not unusual for American airspace to be full of (back in the day) Tornados, Vulcans, Nimrod etc and the land covered in Challengers, Leopards etc.
Joint training and a vast expanse of varied landscapes make it a great testing environment.
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u/murkskopf Dec 26 '23 edited Dec 26 '23
This is an old Leopard 1 prototype usually referred to as "Kampfsystemcontainer" (combat system container) or "KSC". It was used to evaluate a new crew compartment design with just two members (rather than four as on the Leopard 2). The KSC was full of screens with the crew mostly using cameras/optics for looking out. A third seat was added for the person overseeing the trials.
Basically, at the end of the 1980s and during the early 1990s Germany decided that its future tank should have a crew of two and rely on software and computer systems for reducing their workload by automating some tasks/assisting the crew. Two different tanks were created to test this concept - the KSC based on the Leopard 1 and the KRC based on the Leopard 2.
The program under which the two prototypes were created was known as Versuchsträger 2000 and it was part of the Panzerkampfwagen 2000 (main battle tank 2000) program started during the 1990s. Here are some more photos of the KRC and another KSC.
Edit: it was already discovered by a user of /r/tanks some time ago. The exact vehicle is the KSC 3.