C2A1

C2A1

C2A1

Germany

VI Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
9.3	9.3	9.3

Class:

Medium tank

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

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Description

The Leopard C2A1 MEXAS is a Canadian heavy modification of the Leopard 1A3, which is the fourth variant of the Leopard 1 main battle tank family. In the late 1970s, Canada purchased 127 units of the Leopard 1A3 variant. In order to lengthen their service lives, around 114 units of Leopard C1 were upgraded to the Leopard C2 standard in 2000. The Canadian Leopard C2 was an improved Leopard C1 (Leopard 1A3) with a Leopard 1A5 turret purchased from the German Ministry of Defence. The turret features an updated and improved fully stabilized 105 mm Royal Ordnance L7A3 tank gun. This tank gun can fire effectively when the tank is moving and is capable of using all NATO 105 mm tank ammunition. Thermal imaging equipment and a new computerized fire control system are standard on the Leopard C2A1. It was deployed during the Afghanistan War by the Canadian Army. There were intentions to replace these tanks with Stryker Mobile Gun Systems, but they were never carried out. Since the Leopard C2s are about 40 years old, maintenance is getting increasingly challenging. They were in service until 2015 when they were replaced by the more modern Leopard 2A4 and Leopard 2A6 variants. In general, the Leopard C2 has better armour protection than the Leopard C1. It includes NBC protection and automatic fire suppression equipment. In 2006, MEXAS add-on heavy composite armour kits were installed on them before being shipped to Afghanistan. This armour proved itself to be extremely resistant against rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Introduced in Update "Starfighters" as a reward for the 2020 Operation S.U.M.M.E.R. event, the Leopard C2A1 MEXAS is a heavily modified Leopard 1A3 that is almost a unique variant in its own way. The Leopard C2A1, a hybrid between the Leopard 1A3 and the Leopard 1A5, is an attempt by the Canadian Army to extend the service life of its armoured units. MEXAS add-on heavy composite armour kits were developed primarily to counter small anti-tank weapons commonly utilized in Middle Eastern urban warfare, particularly rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). However, keep in mind that the MEXAS add-on heavy composite armour is only effective against high explosive anti-tank (HEAT) ammunition and is only marginally effective against the standard armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding-sabot (APFSDS) ammunition used by most tanks.

General info

Survivability and armour

Smoke grenades

Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle

Armourfront / side / back

Hull70 / 35 / 25

Turret65 / 45 / 52

Crew4 people

Visibility95 %

The C2A1 lacks significantly in armour compared to its peers at the same BR. While it has an additional composite screen added to its entire front and sides, designed to protect it from HEAT rounds, the results are lacklustre and unreliable. Still, it does protect against the standard 20 mm autocannon found on IFVs, but its armour can be reliably penetrated by any modern APDS and APFSDS ammunition.

Armour type:

• Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof)
• Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet, turret ring)
• Composite screen (add-on armour on the hull and the turret)

Armour	Front (Slope angle)	Sides	Rear	Roof
Hull	70 mm (60°) Upper Glacis 50 mm (50°) Lower Glacis	35 mm (39-41°) Top 30 mm Bottom	25 mm (14°) Upper Glacis 25 mm (49°) Lower Glacis	30 mm Front 15 mm (7°) Rear
Turret	65 mm Turret front 45-200 mm (0-67°) Gun mantlet	37-45 mm Left Side 40-43 mm Right Side	25-52 mm	20-35 mm

Notes:

• Suspension wheels, tracks and bogies are 20 mm thick.
• Storage boxes at the back of the turret are 5 mm thick.
• Additional armour covers the hull and the turret:

Composite screens	Front (Slope angle)	Sides
Hull	Up to 200 mm Upper Glacis Up to 200 mm Lower Glacis	Up to 320 mm Top Up to 150 mm Bottom
Turret	Up to 450 mm Gun mantlet	Up to 320 mm

Mobility

Speedforward / back

AB69 / 27 km/h

RB and SB63 / 25 km/h

Number of gears8 forward

4 back

Weight44.0 t

Engine power

AB1 584 hp

RB and SB830 hp

Power-to-weight ratio

AB36.0 hp/t

RB and SB18.9 hp/t

Game Mode	Max Speed (km/h)		Weight (tons)	Engine power (horsepower)		Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
	Forward	Reverse		Stock	Upgraded	Stock	Upgraded
Arcade	69	27	44	1,286	1,584	29.23	36
Realistic	63	25		734	830	16.68	18.86

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB4 185 → 6 227

RB4 270 → 6 353

SB5 457 → 8 120

Total cost of modifications183 800

303 000

Talisman cost2 700

Crew training175 000

Experts620 000

Aces2 100

Research Aces1 010 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

150 / 200 / 240 %

226 / 226 / 226 %

Modifications

Mobility	Protection	Firepower
Tracks Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 280 Suspension Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Brake System Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Filters Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 360 Transmission Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 470 Engine Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 470	Improved Parts Research: 2 300 Cost: 12 000 280 Improved FPE Research: 3 300 Cost: 17 000 400 Crew Replenishment Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 360	Horizontal Drive Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 280 105mm_usa_HESH_ammo_pack Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 280 105mm_NATO_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 7 800 Cost: 12 000 280 Adjustment of Fire Research: 11 000 Cost: 17 000 400 Elevation Mechanism Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 360 Smoke grenade Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 360 NVD Research: 9 800 Cost: 15 000 360 Artillery Support Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 470 105mm_DM33_APDS_FS_ammo_pack Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 470 Laser rangefinder Research: 13 000 Cost: 20 000 470

Armaments

Laser rangefinder

Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder

Night vision device

Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.

Thermal imager

Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

105 mm L7A3 cannon

Two-plane stabilizer

Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving

Ammunition55 rounds

First-order14 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

8.7 → 6.7 s

Vertical guidance-9° / 20°

105 mm L7A3					Turret rotation speed (°/s)					Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode	Capacity	Vertical	Horizontal	Stabilizer	Stock	Upgraded	Full	Expert	Aced	Stock	Full	Expert	Aced
Arcade	55	-9°/+20°	±180°	Two-plane	22.85	31.62	38.40	42.47	45.18	8.71	7.70	7.10	6.70
Realistic					14.28	16.80	20.40	22.56	24.00

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
		10 m	100 m	500 m	1,000 m	1,500 m	2,000 m
DM12	HEATFS	400	400	400	400	400	400
DM512	HESH	127	127	127	127	127	127
DM23	APFSDS	337	335	330	322	314	306
DM33	APFSDS	408	405	398	389	379	370

Shell details
Ammunition	Type of warhead	Velocity (m/s)	Projectile mass (kg)	Fuse delay (m)	Fuse sensitivity (mm)	Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)	Ricochet
							0%	50%	100%
DM12	HEATFS	1,174	10.5	0.05	0.1	1.27	65°	72°	77°
DM512	HESH	732	11.2	0.1	4	4.31	73°	77°	80°
DM23	APFSDS	1,455	4.2	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°
DM33	APFSDS	1,455	3.79	-	-	-	78°	80°	81°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the Leopard I (identical layout)

Full ammo	1st rack empty	2nd rack empty	3rd rack empty	4th rack empty	5th rack empty	Visual discrepancy
55	55 (+0)	54 (+1)	15 (+40)	12 (+43)	1 (+54)	Yes

Notes:

• Racks 4 and 5 are first stage ammo racks. They total 14 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
• These racks are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 5 - 1 - 2 - 3.
• To go into battle with the frontal ammo racks empty, pack 15 (+40) shells.

Machine guns

7.62 mm C6A1 FLEX machine gun (coaxial)

Ammunition4 400 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 001 shots/min

7.62 mm C6A1 FLEX machine gun

Ammunition2 000 rounds

Belt capacity200 rounds

Reloadbasic crew → aces

10.4 → 8.0 s

Fire rate1 001 shots/min

7.62 mm C6
Mount	Capacity (Belt)	Fire rate	Vertical	Horizontal
Coaxial	4,600 (200)	600	N/A	N/A
Pintle	2,000 (200)	600	-8°/+20°	±120°

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Deadly gun with excellent APFSDS rounds (408 mm penetration at 10 m, 1,455 m/s), as well as good ammo options available (HEAT, HESH rounds)
• Adequate gun depression/elevation angles (+20°/-9°), so good at fighting uphill and downhill
• Effective two axis stabilization
• Effective zoom values (4x-12x) to look for targets and place accurate shots
• The extra composite screens work as a spaced armour and are an effective protection against HEAT in some parts
• Good reverse speed (25 km/h) to get out of sticky situations
• Access to a laser range finder for quick and accurate ranging
• Access to thermal imaging to spot targets in bad conditions (only 1st gen though, 800 x 600 resolution)
• Can produce a favourable German line-up alongside the Leopard A1A1 (L/44), Leopard A1A1, Radkampfwgen 90 etc.

Cons:

• Armour will not protect you against most APFSDS rounds nor chemical rounds, especially to the front
• Roof-mounted MG are in rifle-calibres, and can not cause sufficient damage against most encountered enemies
• Heavier weight than the standard Leopard 1 due to extra screen armour affects acceleration, handling, and turret traverse

History

In 1999, the Canadian Armed Forces sought to upgrade their arsenal of 66 Leopard C1s which were purchased from West Germany in June 1977. The tanks underwent refurbishment that equipped the tanks with a new turret, gunsight, and hydraulic systems for better long-distance movement. In the year 2006, the C2A1s saw action when a 15 tank squadron from the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) was deployed to Afghanistan to support the peacekeeping effort started by the United States and other countries, which included Canada, following the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York. While in Afghanistan the squadron's C2A1's received further modification to accommodate the fighting situation. The modifications were new mine-resistant armour on the bottom of the hull to combat IEDs and anti-tank mines prevalent in the area. For the comfort of the crew, a new cooling system and thermal covers were added to the C2s serving in Afghanistan. The C2's were recalled in 2011 when Canada concluded all combat operations in Afghanistan. Canada replaced its fleet of C2A1s with new Leopard 2s in 2017.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the C2A1 from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

Leopard C2A1 Mexas - Not Always Sorry - JustinPlaysYT

Should You Grind the Leopard C2A1 Mexas? Review/Buyer's Guide - theScottishKoala

C2A1 Tank Review - Keep Or Sell? - Napalmratte

Leopard C2A1 MEXAS - ConeOfArc

Should You Grind The C2A1 MEXAS? - Sako Sniper

See also

Related development

• Leopard 1 (Family)

Other Canadian ground vehicles present in the game

• M5A1 (5th arm.div.)
• M4A5
• QF 3.7 Ram
• Skink
• ADATS (M113)
• Leopard 2A4M CAN

External links

• [Devblog] Operation S.U.M.M.E.R. Leopard C2A1 MEXAS
• [Tank Nut Dave] The Canadian Leopard C2 Tank