Leopard C-1 Main Battle Tank

In the mid 1970's the Canadian government could no longer ignore the fact that the Canadian Forces Centurion main battle tank was in dire need of replacement. That it was eventually replaced was probably due more to the fact that Canada needed to demonstrate a commitment to the NATO alliance. The Leopard MBT was chosen as its replacement for a variety of reasons; not the least being financial considerations and that as the Canadian NATO contingent was based in West Germany it seemed best to purchase a weapon system that had a locally well developed support base. Lastly, it should not be forgotten that the Leopard MBT was an excellent fighting vehicle with a reputation for reliability.

Canada contracted to buy 128 Leopards MBTs composed of 114 gun tanks, 8 armoured recovery vehicles and 6 armoured bridge-layers. The Canadian Leopard version is based on the Leopard 1A3 derivative which was the first Leopard gun tank to incorporate a welded turret of spaced armour instead of the earlier cast models. The space between the armour is filled with material that is claimed to reduce the effectiveness of hollow charge ammunition. The turret is approximately 1.5 cubic metres larger than the cast variety which makes the crew compartment somewhat more spacious. It's powered by a Mercedes-Benz V-10 diesel, coupled with an automatic transmission, giving it a maximum road speed of 40 mph and a cross-country speed of 25 mph. With an overall weight of just over 46 tons, the Leopard was a good ten tons lighter than its predecessor, the Centurion. The Leopard is armed with the British L7A3 105mm main gun and fires armour piercing discarding sabot (APDS), high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT), high-explosive squash head (HESH), smoke and illuminating cannisters. The main gun is coupled with a Belgian made computerized fire-control system, using a laser rangefinder. As its secondary armament, the Leopard has a coaxially mounted 7.62mm MG in addition to an cupola mounted MG.

Initially, 77 gun tanks went to 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (4CMBG) in Germany in addition to 4 bridge-layers and 4 armoured recovery vehicles. The remaining 37 gun tanks, 4 ARVs and 2 bridge-layers were shipped to CFBs Gagetown and Borden for training use.

The Leopard was purchased during the period when the new generation German Leopard 2, U.S. M1, and British Challengers were still under development. Unfortunately the existing Centurion fleet was deemed unable to last until these new MBTs became available. Nevertheless, the Leopard C-1 MBT is a superb fighting vehicle and was a valuable addition to 4CMBG in Germany. With the declining Soviet threat, withdrawl of Canadian forces from Germany, and new tasking for the Canadian Army, the future role of the Leopard C-1 is somewhat uncertain. The Leopard C-1 is now slated to undergo an improvement program whereby its service life will be extended to the year 2010. Arrangements with Germany have recently been made where surplus Leopard 1A5 turrets, equipped with the EMES-18 fire control system, are being acquired, recondioned, and mated to the existing Canadian tank chassis'. The Leopard C-1 will also get add-on armour, a built in thermal imaging camera for action during periods of low visibility, and an electric turret drive to replace the existing hydraulic system.

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Leopard C-1 MBT

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Improved Leopard C-1 exhibiting fenders and add-on armour.

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(Above and Below)
Leopards of the Royal Canadian Dragoons On Exercise In Europe

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© Chris Johnson, 1997