Afghanistan mission takes heavy toll on Canadian AFVs

[Shelldrake]

A recent report indicates that 34 vehicles were destroyed and 359 damaged, including 3 Leopard C2 tanks that are listed as destroyed. AFAIK this is the first report that tanks were successfully attacked in Afghanistan.

http://o.canada.com/2012/07/19/78433/

[LongBlade]

That's not good news.

[mirth]

The report doesn't say how any of the vehicles were destroyed so we don't even know how many losses were due to actual attacks. Also the losses occurred over more than 10 years of operations in Afghanistan. I don't mean to downplay the losses in men and material, but that article raises more questions than it answers.

[Shelldrake]

The report doesn't say how any of the vehicles were destroyed so we don't even know how many losses were due to actual attacks. Also the losses occurred over more than 10 years of operations in Afghanistan. I don't mean to downplay the losses in men and material, but that article raises more questions than it answers.

It seems likely that most losses were to the 60's era Leopard 1s that were initially deployed to Afghanistan but this article suggests that one Leopard 2 may have been "damaged beyond repair" by insurgents.
http://www.espritdecorps.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=308:afghans-damage-leopard-tank-qbeyond-repairq&catid=40:afghanistan&Itemid=100

Interesting 2008 article here on Canadian armour in Afghanistan.
http://www.army.forces.gc.ca/caj/documents/vol_10/iss_4/CAJ_vol10.4_03_e.pdf

[GDS_Starfury]

Lep2 or one of your up-armored Lep1's with A/C?
I ask because journalists know jack shit about the difference.

[Shelldrake]

Lep2 or one of your up-armored Lep1's with A/C?
I ask because journalists know jack shit about the difference.

I expect that it was a Leopard 2 since Scott Taylor knows his stuff, being a former member of the Canadian Forces. BTW our Leopard 1s never got A/C and so were real ovens for tankers in the 'stan.

[mirth]

It seems likely that most losses were to the 60's era Leopard 1s that were initially deployed to Afghanistan but this article suggests that one Leopard 2 may have been "damaged beyond repair" by insurgents.
http://www.espritdecorps.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=308:afghans-damage-leopard-tank-qbeyond-repairq&catid=40:afghanistan&Itemid=100

That's an interesting article. Even though the tank was damaged "beyond repair", the crew was protected with the only injury being a broken hip. That's pretty damn good.