Canadian Leo tank

Wayne · Post by **Wayne** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 7:55 am

I`m thinking of buying the Leopard tanks used by the Canadian forces in Afganistan. I would like to know if the Leo. 2 A6 is the one or if it is close enough to be used. I`m thinking of buying the Leo. 1A4 or Leo. 2s. These are the ones I saw in Shilo Manitoba when the Germans trained here.
Does anyone also have any idea as to what the new German infantry are going to look like ? Since ,GHQ has annouced that they are going to make more poses.

shawno · Post by **shawno** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 8:14 am

Technically the tanks currently in use are upgraded Leo 1's

They will soon be replaced by leo 2a6, so just buy those...

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 1:25 pm

Canadians have used Leopard 1A4 for years, with upgrades. Now with additional armour.

When is it expected that Canada will field the Leopard 2A6?

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Wed Jun 20, 2007 4:07 pm

Hi,

from my knowledge the N72 Leopard 1 A4 (I am not sure if it is good model of a Leo 1 A4 or a more a Leo 1 A3, as I do not have any literature on hand) will do fine to resemble the Canadian Leo C1.
Later the C1 became the C2. This means that C1 were fitted with surplus Leo 1 A5 turrets from Germany. If you are very much into detail there is no chance to resemble the C2, as there is no Leo 1 A5 available. If you do not give too much about detail, you can use the N87 Leopard 1 A1A1, as the Leo 1 A5 shares some details with the turret of the Leo 1 A1A1 (e.g. the add-on armour).
If you want to build uparmoured C1 or C2 you have to scratch them, as they received MEXAS add-on armour giving the vehicles a very different look.

For the Canadian 2 A6 (at first they will get 20 Leo 2 A6M from German surplus as far as I know. Later some 2 A4 and 2 A6 from NL, the 2 A4s maybe will be upgraded) the N124 Leopard 2 A6 will do fine (even the model has some mistakes but I wouldn't give too much about it).

Hope this is of help,
Cheers Ben

chrisswim · Post by **chrisswim** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:02 am

Thank you for the info on Leopard 2A6. At least the Canadians have decided to stay with a real tank. Back in 1992 or 1993 some Canadian troops were training at an army base and speaking with a few of them, Canada ha/was testing Bradleys to serve as 'tanks' for their army. So, I included some in my Canadian forces. Now having the Leopard 2A4 and 2A6, is a much better proposition for them. guess I could still use the Brandleys with the Leopard 2A4 & 2A6.....

stevecolletti · Post by **stevecolletti** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 1:25 pm

According to the May 2007 issue of Military Technology magazine, Canada bought 100 Leopard 2s from the Netherlands (60 2A4s, 20 specialized and 20 2A6s) and is leasing 20 2A6Ms (with additional mine protection) from Germany for a two year period. The Dutch tanks, after completing the government to government agreement, are expected to be delivered to Canada by the end of Summer 2007. The German tanks are being "deployed to Afghanistan as soon as possible in conjunction with the next rotation of personnel this summer".

According to the MilTech article:
This will give the Canadians two combat-ready squadrons of 20 approximately tanks, one for deployment and one for rotation into theater to allow for depot repair and overhaul of the first.
An additional two squadrons of 20 tanks are required for collective and individual training in Canada.
The final 20 will consist of key support vehicles (armored recovery vehicles, armored bridgelayers and armored engineering vehicles)

It is expected that the Dutch 2A6s will be upgraded to 2A6Ms and that the entire fleet will be eventually brought up to the 2A6/2A6M configuration.

taskforce58 · Post by **taskforce58** » Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:32 pm

stevecolletti wrote:It is expected that the Dutch 2A6s will be upgraded to 2A6Ms and that the entire fleet will be eventually brought up to the 2A6/2A6M configuration.

Even the 2A4s will be upgrade to that standard?

stevecolletti · Post by **stevecolletti** » Fri Jun 22, 2007 2:28 am

That's what the article said. I tried to paraphrase without coloring the article.

dougeagle · Post by **dougeagle** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 6:56 pm

Cool, our own Globemaster.

But this one thing that gets me. Other nations around the world have created their own tank or IFV, yet somehow we can't even build our own tanks? We've built some of the most advanced missile frigates for our navy, armoured vehicles like the Cougar, Coyote and the LAV III but yet we still need to buy other stuff.

IMO, if Canada did some research into it, we could create a very well built tank as other tanks in the world are getting old. Just my opinion though...

Wayne · Post by **Wayne** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:35 pm

The reason we don`t build our own MBTs is MONEY. Home grown products cost more than off the shelf. When did we really design and manufacture our own MBTs. We built tanks during WW2 and they were already being built in the states or Britain during the war. Usually we take something already developed or built and try to modify it to our needs. I`d really like to see a Canadian built MBT but it will never happen. Not in my life time.

shawno · Post by **shawno** » Sat Jun 23, 2007 9:53 pm

Yeah, I'm sure the troops would rather have a good tank now, as opposed to a home built tank "maybe sometime" in the distant future.

stevecolletti · Post by **stevecolletti** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:04 am

The MBT market is glutted right now. Top quality MBTs are available for a fraction of what they 'should' cost. Canada doesn't have issues with access to products, has no domestic heavy armor industry/workforce that needs protection, doesn't need to prove anything to the world when it comes to technology, and would not be building a vehicle to substantially different specifications than existing MBTs. Buying off-the-shelf for a small quantity buy makes a lot of sense. That's why Australia did it.

I watched the C-17 roll out. Congratulations Canadians!

stevecolletti · Post by **stevecolletti** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:08 am

I almost forgot...it isn't always as easy as people think to jump into a new market. Take a look at the history of India's Arjun tank as an example.

dougeagle · Post by **dougeagle** » Sun Jun 24, 2007 4:45 am

...I just think it's the right move to get the Leo II

I have no problems with Canada buying the Leopard II tank, I think that its an awesome fighting vehicle, I just figured that maybe looking into our own might have been a better coarse of action, not realizing that the cost would have been higher that buying off of the shelf.

Anyways, its still a great move for Canada to get the Leo II.

Canadian Leo tank

Canadian Leo tank

Canadian built tanks

Re: Canadian built tanks