Rumours regarding a possible purchase of 80 German Leopard tanks (walkaround here) by the Canadian Forces have been swirling around once again. Globe and Mail reporter David Ebner casts doubt on the sensibleness of the purchase by dredging up statements by Chief of the Defence Staff General Rick Hillier in 2003. The article states that Gen. Hillier

... called the Leopards “very capable” in a 2003 speech, but he declared that the heavy equipment was “less relevant” for recent conflicts Canada had encountered and was “useless to our soldiers in Kabul.” ... “[The Leopard] cannot manoeuvre and I give you the streets of Kabul, those little tiny narrow alleyways, as an example of that.”

The CDS was an armour officer back in the day, and knows his way around a tank. Last year Canada sent 15 Leopards to Afghanistan. So what is going on here? Are the tanks really just an anachronistic tool, useless in a 4GW/COIN world? Are our military leaders confused and just making stuff up as they go along? Or is this the work of some shadowy tank lobby, waiting in the wings for a glorious return to the Cold War?

I’m sorry but it is none of the above. This simply is another example of the ever-fluctuating nature of war. Historically, certain capabilities from years past have cycled into reuse. We even see this in the generational model of warfare, with the use of traditional methods to defeat cutting-edge technology. Heck, many were surprised that animal husbandry was an important skill for the modern SOF operator.

The reason we sent those tanks over is because they are really good at patrolling open areas, namely Highway 1 in southern Afghanistan. Otherwise known as “Ambush Alley,” H1 has been the final resting ground for many Canadian soldiers. H1 leads right into the dreaded Panjwaii district. Canadian and Afghan forces opened the highway after Op Medusa and want to keep it open to allow goods to flow in and out of the area. It is an important COIN initiative in a part of the country with a looming enemy presence. The Leopards (which can withstand an IED or two) were sent to protect the highway, patrolling for saboteurs.

Thus, in 2003 when the soldiers were fighting in the confined areas of wall-alleys and grape plantations, tanks were pretty useless and the CF opted for the G-Wagon. Now the situation has changed, and so have the tools. It is good to see that the CF leadership are not suffering from a cookie-cutter mentality. It is too bad to see that the press is.

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