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The Ru 251 was one of the projects started by the Bundeswehr to counter the growing Soviet threat in Europe during the Cold War , with the FRG in direct contact with Eastern Bloc countries such as Czechoslovakia , but especially the GDR , from where the Soviet Union could launch an offensive against Europe . In connection with this, a new project began - Europanzer , which led to the creation of Leopard 1 for Germany and to the AMX-30 for France .
In the early 1960s, the Bundeswehr was still using American M41s as reconnaissance tanks. Completely obsolete, it was decided to replace them with more modern machines. Thus, in 1960, a program was started to develop a new light tank. It was important that this tank had excellent mobility combined with sufficient firepower to take out the main Soviet battle tanks of the day. The first prototype was built in 1963, followed by another in 1964
