In the mid-2000s, Canada began searching for a replacement for the Leopard C2A1 Mexas, which needed to offer good resistance to anti-tank mines and improvised explosive devices. In 2007, Canada purchased 80 Leopard 2A4s from the Netherlands, and in 2009 contracted the German company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann to repair and upgrade 20 of them to the Leopard 2A4M CAN standard, while the remaining 60 tanks were used as training vehicles. The Leopard 2A4M CAN tanks were fitted with additional composite armour packages to protect the front and sides of the turret and hull. The rear sections of the turret and hull were reinforced with slat anti-HEAT screens. The fire-control system was upgraded, and the tank received a modern thermal imager and a commander’s sight. Due to the increased weight, the brakes and suspension were modified. By 2010, all 20 tanks had been upgraded, and between 2010 and 2011, five Leopard 2A4M CANs were deployed to Afghanistan.

The Leopard 2A4M was introduced in Update 2.37 “Seek & Destroy”. The Canadian version of the “Leopard” retains all the advantages of this proven cat: a time-tested 120 mm gun, blowout panels, good mobility, and third-generation thermal imagers for both gunner and commander; its protection was enhanced with additional anti-HEAT modules along the hull sides to guard against shaped-charge projectiles and ATGMs.