Nearly 30 percent of the Canadian Army’s fleet of Leopard 2 main battle tanks, which number 74 in total, will be out of commission due to required maintenance for about three years starting this May, according to newly released federal records.
All 20 of the Canadian Army’s Leopard 2A6M fleet are set to undergo a “planned repair, overhaul, and turret conversion” in New Brunswick that the Department of National Defence (DND) says will not be completed until 2026, according to an Inquiry of Ministry tabled by cabinet in the House of Commons on March 20.
DND says in the Inquiry that the tanks are generally considered combat-ready only when up to date on their inspection schedules and after all necessary maintenance has been completed….