Canadian MEXAS Leopard C2 arrives in Afghanistan

[Jason_Bobrowich]

It looks like a MEXAS uparmoured C2 arrived on Oct.3 along with the Taurus, but the photos were only posted on Canadian Forces Combat Camera today.

Click on the photos once in the link to download the high resolution image.

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

[Vivman]

Hi all,

I believe those are Canadian Leopard C2a1's. C2's are a C1 hull with a Leopard 1a5 Turret. They are simply beautiful, aren't they? One of the most elegant (if a tank can be seen as elegant) upgrade packages.


Tony

[JimWeb]

C2A1? Where did that designation come from?

[Jason_Bobrowich]

The designations "C1A1"(MEXAS uparmoured Leopard C1) and "C2A1"(MEXAS uparmoured Leopard C2) are completely unofficial.

They appear to have been started in the AFV modelling community. No one that actually works on the tanks refers to them by those designations.

The C2 with MEXAS armour is still just called the C2...not C2A1 or C2 War Fighter or C2 Combat or anything else.

I was on the Leopards being prepared for Afghanistan last weekend and while the MEXAS and road wheels are freshly painted the rest of the tank's paint is worn and chipped....no time to give them a new paint job.

They look a bit rough on the outside but they are 100% combat ready to do what they were designed for.

[Dubliner]

nt

[Jason_Bobrowich]

From what I have been told only one Squadron of tanks will be fitted with the MEXAS. The Squadron of tanks will remain in Afghanistan for future rotations to use.

Expect to see some improvised upgrades for Afghanistan such as both the Commander's and Loader's hatch rings mounting a C6 with spade grips.

[tankmodeler]

Good thing we no longer need tanks, eh?

Tankmodeler

[Dontos]

WOW... Thats cool! Never seen that before.

The last time I saw Canadian tanks was in the CAT competition in 1989 at Bergen Hohne. The were 'bare-bones' Leo 1A2's if I remember right.

I guess I'm behind the learning curve,....you learn something new every day!


Don

[tankmodeler]

- Dontos

WOW... Thats cool!

They're pretty wicked looking aren't they?

the CAT competition in 1989 at Bergen Hohne. The were 'bare-bones' Leo 1A2's if I remember right.

Don,

In 1989 they would have been Leopard C1s which were slightly modified Leo1A4s with a Belgian fire control system.

The bare bones Leo C2 is a Leo 1A5 turret (older cast turret with laser sights) with the original C1 tubes (our old tubes had more life than the newer German tubes. Tells you something abuot our training rates, no?) all on top of the original C1 hulls. The MEXAS kits are an additional add-on and I think we only bought 30 of them for a fleet of about 100 tanks.

Paul

[J.McGillivray]

Another photo of the Canadian Leopard has being added to combat camera showing the front of the tank with the MEXAS armour.


www.combatcamera.force...mbatcamera

[Dontos]

- tankmodeler

- Dontos

WOW... Thats cool!

They're pretty wicked looking aren't they?

the CAT competition in 1989 at Bergen Hohne. The were 'bare-bones' Leo 1A2's if I remember right.

Don,

In 1989 they would have been Leopard C1s which were slightly modified Leo1A4s with a Belgian fire control system.

The bare bones Leo C2 is a Leo 1A5 turret (older cast turret with laser sights) with the original C1 tubes (our old tubes had more life than the newer German tubes. Tells you something abuot our training rates, no?) all on top of the original C1 hulls. The MEXAS kits are an additional add-on and I think we only bought 30 of them for a fleet of about 100 tanks.

Paul

I dug this photo up from June 1989. These are the static 'demo' vehicles on Range 9 @ Bergen-Hohne. It shows the Belgian Leo 1 (Left), US M1A1 (Center), and the Canadian Leo 1 (Far Right).



BTW: I reenlisted on top of the M1A1 pictured. It was my first 'reup' of several. Many good Memories....

Don

[Dontos]

Nothing to do with Afghanistan,....but



Spent some range time with these guys. A fun lot... Have a bottle of the Regimental Wine also...

Don

[mike_Duplessis]

I wonder how the driver likes the new armor upgrade! I seem to recall a Canadian Leopard armor upgrade done for Bosnia(?) was not greeted very enthusiastically, because the driver's hatch access was hindered (more than usual) at some turret angles. My memory of this is a bit fuzzy.

Still, this is cool. A rare heavily-modified Western tank.

[Jason_Bobrowich]

The driver's access in the C2 with the MEXAS is not hindered very much even with the gun at 3 or 9 o'clock. They just have to zig were they zagged before the armour was mounted. The turret shape of the C2 allows more room. No change with the gun over the back deck.

The C1 with MEXAS was deployed to Kosovo in 1999/2000 but not Bosnia. Because of the C1's wider welded turret with the add-on MEXAS it made it harder for the driver's to mount up.

The MEXAS does not change the driver's visibility.

[Maple_Leaf_Eh]

- Vivman

Hi all,

I believe those are Canadian Leopard C2a1's. C2's are a C1 hull with a Leopard 1a5 Turret. They are simply beautiful, aren't they? One of the most elegant (if a tank can be seen as elegant) upgrade packages.


Tony

If the Taliban's sense of the esthetic was easily insulted, the Leopard would be a force for good on the battlefield and they would throw down their AKs in defeat. However, they seem to be unmoved by matters of taste and discrimination. In that regard, the LdSH(RC) tankers will just have to show them who's boss.

(For anyone who has seen or has an older copy of the Strathcona regimental calendar, they will know the class to which the regiment is capable. More to follow if the younger souls need guidance.)