Leopard 2A6M C2 CAN — it is a modernized Canadian variant of the German Leopard 2A6 main battle tank. It was developed by modernizing 20 Leopard 2A6M tanks under a contract with KMW for $76 million.
On October 15, the first shots could be shown in the story of the German TV channel ARD 1, dedicated to a tour of the facilities of the defense company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann of new Canadian Leopard 2A6M C2 tanks. This was pointed out by military analyst Jeff21461 on the X social network.
The cost of upgrading the new Leopard 2A6M tank under the contract with KMW was $76 million. Overhaul includes updating optics, fire control systems and interfaces, replacing outdated analog technologies with modern components to increase service life.
In February 2023, Canadian Defense Minister Anita Anand said that Canada plans to replace the Leopard 2 tanks sent to Ukraine, although the specific timing of these acquisitions was not disclosed. Canada, meanwhile, was preparing to modernize its remaining Leopard 2s as part of a project by 2035.
DoD spokeswoman Jessica Lamirand explained that the contract would include maintenance, upgrades, supply chain management and technical support.< /p>
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The contract was valued at between $730 million and $1.09 billion, or about $44 million to $64 million per year. Canada announced a tentative contract award in August 2022.
The long-term tank support contract covered various Canadian Army Leopard 2 models: 2A4 CAN, 2A4M CAN, 2A6M CAN and 2A6M C2 CAN, as well as Leopard 2 ARV CAN armored recovery vehicles, Leopard 2 AEV CAN engineering vehicles and specialized equipment such as slide demining system (MCRS), tracked mine plow (TWMP), bulldozer dumps, additional armor.
According to available information, the first conversion was completed in 2022, which became a reference model for the rest of the park. Work on the conversion of the remaining 19 tanks began at FFG Canada's Bathurst facility in spring 2023 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025. These modernized tanks will be designated Leopard 2A6M C2 CAN.
Among other things, the Canadian army planned to improve protection, surveillance, target detection, firepower and mobility. The country expects to issue a request for industry applications by 2028, and the first modernized tanks are expected to enter service by 2030. The goal of modernization — align Canada's Leopard 2 tank configurations with those of NATO allies to improve interoperability.
The Canadian government is driven by financial considerations, as the country's defense budget already funds major projects such as the purchase of F-35 fighter jets , surface combat ships and P-8 patrol aircraft, which limits the available funds for the purchase of new tanks, notes the defense portal Army Recognition.