Leopard C2
When West Germany's Bundeswehr was allowed to organize panzer divisions postwar, the units were equipped with second-hand American M48 Pattons. While the M48 was a good, reliable tank, by the late 1950s, it was increasingly outclassed by newer Soviet designs, and in any case the Germans--with their long history of tank design--felt they could design a better tank more suited to European battlefields. In 1957, the Heer issued a requirement for a 30-ton medium tank with high mobility, with a 105mm main gun. Initially called the Standard Panzer, it was renamed Europa Panzer when France and Italy expressed interest in the project, and eventually given the name Leopard--carrying on the tradition begun in World War II of naming German tanks after big cats.
Porsche's design was declared the winner in 1963, while Krauss-Maffei would build the Leopard I. During the prototype testing process, various upgrades were added, including an American gun-stabilization system, a bigger engine, an improved targeting system, and upgraded armor. Armor had not been a priority in the original design, as it was believed that modern tanks could not survive direct fire hits in any case; experience in the Arab-Israeli Wars changed that theory, as speed was found to be less effective than increased armor. This added ten tons to the design, but the Leopard I remained a comparatively fast tank.
Deliveries of the Leopard 1 to the West German Bundesheer began in 1965. France had pulled out of the project to design its own tank, the AMX-30, but the Leopard's qualities interested many other NATO nations, and it became the standard tank for the majority of NATO; Australia bought the Leopard as well. (The United States opted for their own M60 Patton series, while the United Kingdom used the Chieftain.) In most cases, the Leopard replaced the British-made Centurion.
The Leopard I's sound design made it relatively easy to upgrade, and no less than five major upgrades were made to the Leopard (Leopard 1A1 through A5), mainly improving the armor and targeting systems. Its vulnerability to wire-guided missiles and even newer Soviet designs such as the T-72 led West Germany to partner with the United States in the MBT-70 project; when that failed, the Bundeswehr began work on the Leopard 2, which was a completely new tank built around the 120mm main gun. Though most Leopards in NATO service are gradually being replaced by newer designs (usually the American M1 Abrams, Italian Ariete, or Leopard 2s), it remains in service with a number of nations.
Canada bought Leopard 1A3s as the Leopard C1, beginning in 1978 to replace its obsolete Centurions. These were generally identical to the German Leopard 1A3, but with a laser rangefinder system. Almost all the Canadian Leopards were deployed with the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade in central West Germany, partnered with German and American units in the Central Army Group (CENTAG). Canadian Leopard crews acquired a reputation for superb gunnery. With the end of the Cold War, the Canadian government saw little need to replace their Leopard C1s, but in 2000, the fleet was upgraded to Leopard C2 status by switching out the turrets of the C1 with former German Leopard 1A5 turrets, which had better ammunition stowage and greatly improved ranging systems, as well as improved turret armor.
in 2007, Canada announced that the Leopard C2 would be finally replaced by second-hand Leopard 2s--the main reasons being improved armor, a more standard 120mm main gun, and air conditioning, as Canadian Leopard crews in Afghanistan were suffering heatstroke: the Leopard 1 was never intended for desert warfare.
When I lived in Germany in the late 1970s, Leopard 1s were a common sight with German Heer units based all around us, so it was a treat to see a Leopard 1 again at Calgary's Military Museums. This is a Leopard C2 of the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Regiment, which saw action in Afghanistan--the first time in nearly 50 years that Canadian tankers fired their guns in anger. It still wears its European-style two-tone green camouflage, with a subdued Canadian Maple Leaf painted on the turret side (seen just below the rangefinder). The Leopard is only temporarily parked here; it is likely to be moved next to the other tanks in the Military Museums' collections in the near future.
Leopard C2
When West Germany's Bundeswehr was allowed to organize panzer divisions postwar, the units were equipped with second-hand American M48 Pattons. While the M48 was a good, reliable tank, by the late 1950s, it was increasingly outclassed by newer Soviet designs, and in any case the Germans--with their long history of tank design--felt they could design a better tank more suited to European battlefields. In 1957, the Heer issued a requirement for a 30-ton medium tank with high mobility, with a 105mm main gun. Initially called the Standard Panzer, it was renamed Europa Panzer when France and Italy expressed interest in the project, and eventually given the name Leopard--carrying on the tradition begun in World War II of naming German tanks after big cats.
Porsche's design was declared the winner in 1963, while Krauss-Maffei would build the Leopard I. During the prototype testing process, various upgrades were added, including an American gun-stabilization system, a bigger engine, an improved targeting system, and upgraded armor. Armor had not been a priority in the original design, as it was believed that modern tanks could not survive direct fire hits in any case; experience in the Arab-Israeli Wars changed that theory, as speed was found to be less effective than increased armor. This added ten tons to the design, but the Leopard I remained a comparatively fast tank.
Deliveries of the Leopard 1 to the West German Bundesheer began in 1965. France had pulled out of the project to design its own tank, the AMX-30, but the Leopard's qualities interested many other NATO nations, and it became the standard tank for the majority of NATO; Australia bought the Leopard as well. (The United States opted for their own M60 Patton series, while the United Kingdom used the Chieftain.) In most cases, the Leopard replaced the British-made Centurion.
The Leopard I's sound design made it relatively easy to upgrade, and no less than five major upgrades were made to the Leopard (Leopard 1A1 through A5), mainly improving the armor and targeting systems. Its vulnerability to wire-guided missiles and even newer Soviet designs such as the T-72 led West Germany to partner with the United States in the MBT-70 project; when that failed, the Bundeswehr began work on the Leopard 2, which was a completely new tank built around the 120mm main gun. Though most Leopards in NATO service are gradually being replaced by newer designs (usually the American M1 Abrams, Italian Ariete, or Leopard 2s), it remains in service with a number of nations.
Canada bought Leopard 1A3s as the Leopard C1, beginning in 1978 to replace its obsolete Centurions. These were generally identical to the German Leopard 1A3, but with a laser rangefinder system. Almost all the Canadian Leopards were deployed with the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade in central West Germany, partnered with German and American units in the Central Army Group (CENTAG). Canadian Leopard crews acquired a reputation for superb gunnery. With the end of the Cold War, the Canadian government saw little need to replace their Leopard C1s, but in 2000, the fleet was upgraded to Leopard C2 status by switching out the turrets of the C1 with former German Leopard 1A5 turrets, which had better ammunition stowage and greatly improved ranging systems, as well as improved turret armor.
in 2007, Canada announced that the Leopard C2 would be finally replaced by second-hand Leopard 2s--the main reasons being improved armor, a more standard 120mm main gun, and air conditioning, as Canadian Leopard crews in Afghanistan were suffering heatstroke: the Leopard 1 was never intended for desert warfare.
When I lived in Germany in the late 1970s, Leopard 1s were a common sight with German Heer units based all around us, so it was a treat to see a Leopard 1 again at Calgary's Military Museums. This is a Leopard C2 of the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) Regiment, which saw action in Afghanistan--the first time in nearly 50 years that Canadian tankers fired their guns in anger. It still wears its European-style two-tone green camouflage, with a subdued Canadian Maple Leaf painted on the turret side (seen just below the rangefinder). The Leopard is only temporarily parked here; it is likely to be moved next to the other tanks in the Military Museums' collections in the near future.