Finland is in the final stages of purchasing 100 Leopard-2A4 tanks from Germany. These tanks were built in the 1980s and have been taken out of service as newer variants of the Leopard-2 are built. These tanks will replace the 100 T-55s in Finnish service and some of the 162 T-72s, equipping one of the two Finnish tank brigades. (The other will continue to operate about 120 T-72s.) Unlike NATO allies which have obtained cast-off Leopards at bargain basement prices, the Finns are expected to pay about $3 million per tank. They plan to keep them in operation until 2030.Stephen V Cole