Cockerill Likely to Upgrade Ukrainian Leopard 1 Tanks with C3105 Turrets

Cockerill may soon receive its first contract to supply Ukraine with 30 Cockerill 3105 (C3105) turrets for installation on Leopard 1 tanks.

Belgian military analyst Jeff2146 reported on the contract, citing a Cockerill spokesperson at the Eurosatory international exhibition in Paris.

According to him, the company representative stated that the first five turrets are scheduled for delivery in June 2027, with the remainder to follow by the end of 2027.

“The system is currently under evaluation, and we hope that Ukrainians will soon say: we would like to replace all other turrets on our Leopard fleet with your turrets. The next step is this week; it seems a meeting is scheduled between our defense minister and Mr. Fedorov, your defense minister. They need to decide whether Ukraine will move forward with more of our turrets — yes or no,” a Cockerill spokesperson told Militarnyi’s correspondent at Eurosatory.

According to him, the Ukrainian military highly values the Leopard 1 tank chassis because it is purely mechanical and hydraulic and does not rely on electronics, making it very reliable.

However, the tanks’ turrets were designed 40-50 years ago, are based on outdated technology, and their ballistic computers are now completely obsolete.

According to him, a tank with the new turret was first demonstrated to the Ukrainian delegation in July 2025. During testing, the new turret, thanks to its increased vertical elevation angles, demonstrated the ability to engage targets at distances of up to 10 km when firing from covered positions.

In addition, the new turret is 3 tons lighter than the original, creating weight savings for the installation of additional protection in the form of reactive armor, anti-drone nets, and electronic warfare systems.

Currently, Ukraine already has a “certain number” of modernized Leopard 1 tanks equipped with Cockerill 3105 turrets, which are undergoing field trials on the battlefield. The delivery of the first modernized tank was reported in March 2026.

Cockerill 3105 Turret

Cockerill 3105 turrets are equipped with modern optical systems that enable the detection of targets at ranges of up to 18 km during the day and up to 15 km at night.

The turret provides protection against 25-mm sub-caliber rounds and is equipped with an automatic loader for 12-16 rounds. The layout is designed so that the gunner and commander are positioned at the level of the tank’s hull, rather than inside the turret.

The turret is equipped with a 105-mm high-pressure gun that uses the same shells as the Leopard 1 tanks and is also capable of firing the Ukrainian Falarik anti-tank missile.