A thread on a German storage base and facility for dismantling tanks and IFVs. Has anything changed since the beginning of the war in Ukraine? Let’s find out!
Disclaimer: this thread contains sensitive content for German vatniks.
1/12
Let’s start with what this is all about. The Koch Battle Tank Dismantling firm is located in the village of Rockensußra. The company specializes in dismantling battle tanks and armored vehicles from the German armed forces and others.
2/12
For years, tanks and infantry fighting vehicles came here to die... But no more! New satellite imagery shows that things have changed.
3/12
The facility's infrastructure has expanded significantly since the Russian invasion. We can see several new buildings, which were definitely not built to kill Marder IFVs and Leopard 1 tanks faster than before.
4/12
Let’s take a closer look. The facility is working with Marder IFVs, Gepard SPAAGs, Leopard 1s, and other vehicles based on these tanks. You’ll find rows of old Gepards that have been here for years, alongside 'fresh' Marders and Gepards under blue tarps.
5/12
You can see some pictures of this section taken by locals—or possibly Russian assets… I think it's a mix of both.
6/12
The central part of the facility is much busier than before, swamped with dismantled Leopard 1 tanks, Marder IFVs, engines, turrets, and other parts.
7/12
The main new building is around 4,600 square meters. By my estimate, a vehicle may need around 650 square meters for repair and maintenance. So, this facility could host about 8-10 vehicles at a time, with enough space for equipment and maneuvering.
8/12
Maybe it’s just a large storage facility? Probably, but I think that’s highly unlikely. Plus, we have a few garages for storage and some outside shelters for vehicles.
9/12
Overall, I spotted:
- 100+ Gepard SPAAGs
- 130+ Marder IFVs
- 90+ Leopard 1 tanks (and some other vehicles based on the Leopard 1)
10/12
In conclusion, I want to address a special kind of people out there: everything I post here is open source, and no, I do not disclose anything secret. Moreover, swarms of Russian assets in Germany have a front-row view of everything going on there.
11/12
So yes, the German military-industrial complex is stepping up to meet the demand on the battlefield in Ukraine. Maybe European countries have finally played enough with the 'guns are bad' thing... Germans are among the greatest engineers in the world for f sake.
12/12
And one last irrelevant thing: if you have any questions, feel free to write me a direct message. I don’t reply to questions in the thread, not because I’m ignorant and ignore everyone, but because I just don’t have much time for rereading everything. Alla prossima!
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