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Jaguar 2
Jaguar 2
Type	Anti-tank missile carrier
Place of origin	West Germany
Service history
In service	1983–1993
Used by	West Germany
Production history
Manufacturer	Henschel and 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, gunner, loader, driver)
Armor	50 mm steel + applique armour
Main; armament	1× TOW missile launcher
Secondary; armament	1× 7.62mm 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

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

History

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.

Design

The Jaguar 2 is a tank destroyer that follows the traditional casemate design of West 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.

Protection

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.

Armament

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.^[2] 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.