Canadian Leopard C1 MEXAS

[Thatz 635]

Description:
In the summer of  1975 the Canadian government announced that they would replace their aging centurion tanks with a lighter and air-transportable vehicle, which at the time they were looking at that FV101 Scorpion as a fit for this role. However many allies of Canada in Europe put pressure on the government to keep their MBT's in Europe as they felt that the change would not be able to fulfill the requirements that that MBT's would be be able to do. This decision to replace the Centurions was brought to the table again when it was announced in November of 1975 that the Canadian MBT fleet of Centurions in Europe wouldn't last past the next year. (1976)
As the tanks were becoming outdated, slow when compared to other MBT's at the time, unreliable and issues with the tanks increased as the tanks aged.

The Canadian Government started to look at options that were available to them at the time as they only had a year or 2 to replace their MBT's. At the time The Leopard 2, Challenger 1 and M1 Abrams were all in development however the estimated dates that Canada would be able to procure these tanks would be into the early 1980's which was too long for the Government of Canada to wait. At the time the the tanks that were considered were the M60, Leopard, Chieftain and the AMX30. Out of these tanks Canada looked more toward the Leopard as the tank was at the time already in service with 6 other NATO countries, the only issue with procuring Leopards was that the Krauss-Maffei's Leopard production line was full and the was would not be able to be delivered until 1979.
Until Krauss-Maffei completed its order for Australia, the German Ministry of Defence offered that they lend some Leopards. When this option came along, the Canadian Government took the deal and, in October 1976, they reached a deal with Krauss-Maffei and the German Ministry of Defence to borrow 35 Bundeswehr Leopard tanks from them until their order of 128 new tanks was complete. The Germans began leasing out tanks after scrounging for them and even taking several from a tank range in Castlemartin, England. The Canadian Forces in Europe started to receive the tanks in December 1976 and by April 1977 all 35 Loaned Leopards were delivered.

The Royal Canadian Dragoon's were faced with the task of learning how to operate a new tank, with manuals written in a different language, in the space of a few months. Which was a enormous task as the Technical Services back in Ottawa estimated that it would take 2 years to translate all the German manuals, in 1965 the Royal Canadian Dragoon's sent a few officers and a few soldiers to the German armoured school that was located in Münster to better understand the Leopard hand-on and to work on translating the manual from German into English. These officers and soilders cut and paste illustrations from the German Leopard manuals and translated the technical terms into "Canadianese." 

Canadian's learning track repair from german's


After having the tanks just for 16 weeks In June 1977 the Royal Canadian Dragoon's won the Canadian Army Trop for Tank (CAT). The Canadian Army trophy was a tank gunner competition for armoured forces in NATO nations in Europe.

The 35 tanks that were leased from Germany were Leopard 1A2's as they would allow the Canadian crews to be able to get hands on training and experience with the leopard tanks. You can tell which are the loaned vehicles and which are C1's by the roof mounted MG as the one's on loan were fitted with an MG3 and the C1's replaced the MG3 with a C6.
Loaned Leopard 1A2 from September 1977


In June 1978 the first Leopard C1 was delivered to Canada and by summer of 1979 the Canadian forces in Europe received all 114 of the tanks that were outlined in the contract, the contract also included that Canada's entire fleet of Centurions be given to Krauss-Maffei (*I cannot find enough sources to support this fact). The Leopard C1 was designed from a modified Leopard 1A3 which include the Belgian SABCA computerized fire-control system. 
The last roll-out of centurions before retirement


The C1 Leopards that were in Europe returned to Canada in 1993 when Canadian Forces withdrew from Europe.


Over the years Canada Canada has deployed the C1 to Bosnia in 1996 (2 tanks were sent one with a mine roller and the other with a mine plough and were used for IFOR, these tanks had the fittings for MEXAS armour as the tanks were being used to trail the armour before being sent to Bosnia. The tanks did not have MEXAS armour in Bosnia)  and Kosovo in 1999 (5 tanks were sent with Third troop C Squadron from the Lord Strathcona’s Horse, these tanks were fitted with MEXAS armour and designated Leopard C1 MEXAS. The C1 MEXAS's that were deployed to Kosovo are easily disguised with the add-on armour and KFOR written on the side of the tank. 
MEXAS armour:
MEXAS stands for Modular Expandable Armor System and this is an add-on armor kit for military vehicle that come in many different levels of armour.
The Canadian Leopard C1 tanks were fitted with MEXAS appliqué armour kits and I was unable to find the exact type of MEXAS armour but its probably one of the Variants of MEXAS-H or MEXAS-M kits (more then likely MEXAS-M as the C2 was fitted with MEXAS-M). They may have been designated Leopard C1A1 or even Leopard C1A1 w/MEXAS  however I was unable to find enough sources as to confirm that as only 5-6 of these tanks were upgraded and sent to Kosovo so I will just continue to call it the C1 MEXAS.



In 2000 Canada converted 66 C1's into C2's marking the end and the retirement of the Leopard C1 in Canada with the rest of the tanks being sold off, put in museums or used as range targets.

Specs:

Crew: 4 (Commander, Gunner, Loader, Driver)

Weight: Combat loaded: 47 tons (42400 KG)

Engine: MTU V 10 Multi fuel engine

Max speed forward: 62 km/h

Max speed reverse: 25 km/h

 

Stabilizer 
Laser range finder

8x smoke grenade dischargers (4 mounted on either side of the turret)
Dozer blade

Mine roller

Mine plough
Add-on armour kit "MEXAS"
Thermal imager for the fire-control system

Upgraded Sight (same seen on the C2)

Upgraded Fire control computer (same seen on the C2)

Armament:

105-mm L7A3 (or L7A1 depending on the source) with 55 rounds

2x 7.62 C6 machine guns (One coaxial and the other roof mounted on either the loader or commanders hatch)

Photos of the C1 MEXAS:




Photos of the Standard C1:
Credit to Library and Archives Canada for the majority of the photos

Spoiler

Videos of the standard Leopard C1:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-39dT1E24aQ

 

 

 

Sources:

http://www.journal.forces.gc.ca/vol16/no4/PDF/CMJ164Ep16.pdf

https://friends-amis.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/FS18_leopard_E.pdf

Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965-1995 by Michael Jerchel, Peter Sarson

https://tanknutdave.com/canadian-leopard-c1-tank/

https://www.silverhawkauthor.com/post/leopard-tank

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/leopard-1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopard_1#Canada

Library and Archives Canada for the majority of the photos

http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product3489.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces_Europe

https://canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/from-centurion-to-leopard-1a2-by-frank-maas/

https://dragoons.ca/history-of-the-dragoons/germany/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Army_Trophy

http://www.military-today.com/tanks/leopard_c2.htm

https://nodicenoglory.com/2020/04/10/canadian-leopard-1s/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MEXAS

https://web.archive.org/web/20160202130008/http://defense-update.com/products/m/mexas.htm

http://www.army-guide.com/eng/product3847.html

https://www.pmulcahy.com/tanks/german_tanks.html

Edited May 15, 2023 by Thatz

[leroyonly 4,310]

Open for discussion. 

[Godvana 533]

Could make an interesting event vehicle for the German tree.

 

Slight correction though, the C1 never had a thermal imager, only a PZB 200 LLLTV camera which has no thermal capability.

[Thatz 635]

37 minutes ago, __Fleks__ said:

+1 from me of course
 

Have you contacted the Canadian Archives about my question by any chance?

Yes and that vehicle never existed.

[Milocat 4,848]

+1 for a future Canadian or Commonwealth tree.  

 

Failing at that it can go in the British tree, just don't shove it into the American tree.

 

I suppose the German tree is also an option, it wouldn't be my first choice but I'd be okay with that.

Edited May 14, 2023 by Milocat

[Thatz 635]

19 hours ago, Godvana said:

Slight correction though, the C1 never had a thermal imager, only a PZB 200 LLLTV camera which has no thermal capability.

I thought that also but I found a few sources that stated the C1 MEXAS before being sent to KOSOV was modified with thermal's but I'm not 100% sure this modification was done as its still somewhat modern and I couldn't find documentation. But I wasn't really able to find much official documentation about the tank in general.

[Godvana 533]

3 hours ago, Thatz said:

I thought that also but I found a few sources that stated the C1 MEXAS before being sent to KOSOV was modified with thermal's but I'm not 100% sure this modification was done as its still somewhat modern and I couldn't find documentation. But I wasn't really able to find much official documentation about the tank in general.

 

From Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965 to Present by Michael K Cecil and Michael Shackleton.

 

 

So it had a kind of thermal imager but nothing like what we have in game currently.

 

[Thatz 635]

9 minutes ago, Godvana said:

 

From Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965 to Present by Michael K Cecil and Michael Shackleton.

 

 

So it had a kind of thermal imager but nothing like what we have in game currently.

 

That might be it but I'm not sure since these "upgrades" happened probably between 1996 and 1999. Also where did you find that? I was looking online through the department of defence online cataloge of their archives and library and archive of Canada and I wasn't really able to find solid information on what the upgrade fully was.

[Godvana 533]

1 hour ago, Thatz said:

That might be it but I'm not sure since these "upgrades" happened probably between 1996 and 1999. Also where did you find that? I was looking online through the department of defence online cataloge of their archives and library and archive of Canada and I wasn't really able to find solid information on what the upgrade fully was.

 

Source is at the top:

Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965 to Present by Michael K Cecil and Michael Shackleton 

 

The book is recent and fairly cheap but when I get a chance I can scan the pages relevant to the Canadian Leopards if you like.

 

I'll also have a look through my other Leopard 1 sources.

 

[Thatz 635]

12 hours ago, Godvana said:

Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965 to Present by Michael K Cecil and Michael Shackleton 

 

That book was first published in 1995. The upgrades probably would of happened between 1996 and 1999 so it's possible that the book didn't know about them as they weren't done as where it talks about the C1 I don't see mentions of MEXAS but I may be looking on the wrong page. But as I stated before it's difficult to confirm some of the modification happened as there is not too much known about 5 tanks that were modified and I have been unable to find official documents on the C1 as the tank itself or any of its upgrades but maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. But its possible that I got my information mixed up also:
Here is a the source and information from one of the sources that mentioned the upgrade
 

Spoiler

"A handful of Leopard C1s received a further upgrade in the mid-1990s, and were deployed as part of KFOR in 1999.  These tanks, designated Leopard C1A1, had a thermal imager added to the fire control suite (accessible by the commander), and the fire control computer and sights were modernized.  However, the primary modifications were in the armor suite – 57mm of steel belly armor was added.  The side skirts had their outer layer of steel backed with rubber, which increased armor value without an undue increase in weight or cost.  The front third of the skirts, however, were improved with additional steel armor.  Six C1A1s, which did not receive any additional designator, were equipped with MEXAS appliqué composite armor, and a rather thick set of appliqué at that – the front of the turret actually acquired the same wedge-shaped front as that of the later Leopard 2A5 (though the armor was not as heavy); the appliqué was applied to the glacis, hull sides, turret sides, and turret front.

     In 2000, the 114 remaining C1 tanks (out of an original 127) were upgraded to the C2 standard.  The C2 was made by fitting Leopard 1A5 turrets onto the C1 hulls.  Equivalent fire control and sighting equipment of different manufacture was also fitted to the Leopard 1A5 turrets.  The result is essentially the same as the Leopard C1A1 in game terms, though inside the turrets were redesigned to give the crew a bit more elbow room, and of course the exterior shape of the turret is also a bit different. Differences are primarily in interior arrangement of the turret, some stowage, and of course modernized fire control, sighting, and electrical systems. The C2s still remain in service, and were used and are to an extent still used in Afghanistan.  Shortly after their appearance in Afghanistan, the Leopard C2s were fitted with the same MEXAS appliqué armor kit as was used on the six C1A1s mentioned above for the KFOR mission.  The C2s with MEXAS may be, in game terms, be treated the same as the C1A1 with MEXAS. Though their combat performance was acceptable, crew fatigue was a problem – the heater proved inadequate in the winter and high heat was a big problem for the crew in the Afghanistan summers, especially in the southern regions of the country.  Though a few were fitted with air conditioners on the rear deck, this was a stopgap, cumbersome, and ultimately unsuccessful modification, and led directly to Canada investing in the Leopard 2A6M.  The Canadian Army also cited some dissatisfaction with the armor protection, and the inability of the main gun to fire canister rounds."
https://www.pmulcahy.com/tanks/german_tanks.html

The issue I have with this source or any others that mention the upgrade they mention it was called the C1A1 but official I do not believe that designation to be true and that was it was just named C1 MEXAS but there is not alot of information about either of the designations.

[Godvana 533]

14 minutes ago, Thatz said:

That book was first published in 1995. The upgrades probably would of happened between 1996 and 1999 so it's possible that the book didn't know about them as they weren't done as where it talks about the C1 I don't see mentions of MEXAS but I may be looking on the wrong page. But as I stated before it's difficult to confirm some of the modification happened as there is not too much known about 5 tanks that were modified and I have been unable to find official documents on the C1 as the tank itself or any of its upgrades but maybe I'm looking in the wrong places. But its possible that I got my information mixed up also:
Here is a the source and information from one of the sources that mentioned the upgrade
 

Hide contents

"A handful of Leopard C1s received a further upgrade in the mid-1990s, and were deployed as part of KFOR in 1999.  These tanks, designated Leopard C1A1, had a thermal imager added to the fire control suite (accessible by the commander), and the fire control computer and sights were modernized.  However, the primary modifications were in the armor suite – 57mm of steel belly armor was added.  The side skirts had their outer layer of steel backed with rubber, which increased armor value without an undue increase in weight or cost.  The front third of the skirts, however, were improved with additional steel armor.  Six C1A1s, which did not receive any additional designator, were equipped with MEXAS appliqué composite armor, and a rather thick set of appliqué at that – the front of the turret actually acquired the same wedge-shaped front as that of the later Leopard 2A5 (though the armor was not as heavy); the appliqué was applied to the glacis, hull sides, turret sides, and turret front.

     In 2000, the 114 remaining C1 tanks (out of an original 127) were upgraded to the C2 standard.  The C2 was made by fitting Leopard 1A5 turrets onto the C1 hulls.  Equivalent fire control and sighting equipment of different manufacture was also fitted to the Leopard 1A5 turrets.  The result is essentially the same as the Leopard C1A1 in game terms, though inside the turrets were redesigned to give the crew a bit more elbow room, and of course the exterior shape of the turret is also a bit different. Differences are primarily in interior arrangement of the turret, some stowage, and of course modernized fire control, sighting, and electrical systems. The C2s still remain in service, and were used and are to an extent still used in Afghanistan.  Shortly after their appearance in Afghanistan, the Leopard C2s were fitted with the same MEXAS appliqué armor kit as was used on the six C1A1s mentioned above for the KFOR mission.  The C2s with MEXAS may be, in game terms, be treated the same as the C1A1 with MEXAS. Though their combat performance was acceptable, crew fatigue was a problem – the heater proved inadequate in the winter and high heat was a big problem for the crew in the Afghanistan summers, especially in the southern regions of the country.  Though a few were fitted with air conditioners on the rear deck, this was a stopgap, cumbersome, and ultimately unsuccessful modification, and led directly to Canada investing in the Leopard 2A6M.  The Canadian Army also cited some dissatisfaction with the armor protection, and the inability of the main gun to fire canister rounds."
https://www.pmulcahy.com/tanks/german_tanks.html

The issue I have with this source or any others that mention the upgrade they mention it was called the C1A1 but official I do not believe that designation to be true and that was it was just named C1 MEXAS but there is not alot of information about either of the designations.

 

The book I scanned that passage from was first published in 2020, and before that Shackleton had written three other books on the Leopard 1, so he is definitely an authority on the topic. The book also mentions that the main purpose of the C2 upgrade (replacing the existing welded turret with a 1A5 turret) was to give it the capability to fight in all weather conditions and at all times of day, which would suggest that the current C1 didn't have this capability as it didn't have a thermal imager.

[Thatz 635]

1 minute ago, Godvana said:

The book I scanned that passage from was first published in 2020

My bad I was accidently looking a Leopard 1 Main Battle Tank 1965-1995 by Michael Jerchel and Peter Sarson.

[spacesoldier117 876]

+1 this would be another amazing event vehicle for Germany.