“Leopards Without Claws” Showcase Canada’s Military Weakness
Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan ended in 2011. Along with it, Canada appears to have lost all will to maintain any semblance of a reliable national defense.
The Canadian Armed Forces are in a real strategic pinch. With the new Prime Minister Mark Carney proclaiming that the end of warm relations with the United States is at hand, as the Trump administration readies to unleash a wave of tariffs upon Canadian products for what President Donald Trump believes to be unfair Canadian trade practices, the fact of the matter is that the Canadian military is a spent force.
Since taking office earlier this year, President Trump has repeatedly implied that he intends to absorb Canada as the fifty-first state of the Union. Of course, the conventional explanation is that this is simply puffery on the part of Trump as part of a means of seeking better trade deals. But many in Canada believe that Trump is going to try to annex Canada—even with military force if necessary.
Canada’s Terrible State of Military Affairs
Should that occur, the Canadians are poorly prepared for the American onslaught. Just look at Canada’s arsenal of Main Battle Tanks (MBTs)—or, rather, at what they lack. Of the 82 German-built Leopard-2 MBTs (comprising the A6M, A4M, and A4 variants), only a fraction are combat-ready. In 2023, Canada donated eight Leopard 2A4s to Ukraine, reducing its stock further, while twenty more of the A6Ms sit in Latvia in various states of repair.
As a corollary to this, the Canadian Armed Forces lacks modern anti-tank missiles, adequate air defense systems, or attack helicopters to complement its armored forces, leaving tanks as an isolated capability.
Contrast this with fellow NATO members like France, which has 406 modern MBTs and a plethora of air defense systems, attack helicopters, and modern anti-tank missiles. Even Sweden, with one-fourth of Canada’s population, possesses 120 MBTs.
Let’s go back to the beginning of Canada’s investment in MBTs. It all starts in the killing fields of the Second World War, when the country emerged as a significant producer of armored vehicles—a long distance from where the Canadians are now.
When Canada was a Tank-Producing Superpower
During the Second World War, the Canadians produced systems like the Ram tank, which was built on the chassis of a US M3 MBT. Canada also built the Grizzly, a Canadian variant of the ubiquitous US Army M4 Sherman. Thousands of units of these MBTs were mass produced by firms like Montreal Locomotive Works. Though the Ram saw limited combat use—primarily as a training vehicle or in specialized roles, like the Kangaroo armored personnel carrier—Canada’s wartime output bolstered Allied efforts, particularly through the Lend-Lease agreement that moved these essential weapons to the Soviet Union.
This period established Canada as a capable secondary player in armored warfare.
The Cold War Shifted Canada’s Priorities
Then came the Cold War, in which Canada shifted its approach. As a NATO member, Canada stationed its forces in Europe to deter Soviet aggression, acquiring the British Centurion tanks in the 1950s and later West German Leopard-1s in the 1970s under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. These purchases, driven more by alliance obligations than military necessity, marked a reliance on foreign designs rather than domestic innovation.
By the 1990s, with the Soviet threat diminished, Canada debated moving to lighter, more deployable vehicles, reflecting a belief that tanks were less relevant in a post-Cold War world of relative peace and a focus on constabulary mission sets, such as counterinsurgency (COIN).
The War in Afghanistan And Canada’s New Age of Tanks
The modern chapter of Canada’s tank saga began in 2007, spurred by the conflict in Afghanistan. Canada’s Leopard-1s were aging—and poorly suited for the kind of counterinsurgency and counterterrorism missions that would be required in the dusty foothills of primeval Afghanistan.
Thus, Ottawa purchased Leopard-2s from the Netherlands and Germany. They acquired around 100 tanks—20 Leopard 2A6Ms for combat, 80 Leopard 2A4s for training and upgrades—spending over $650 million, with additional costs for refurbishment. In Afghanistan, these tanks proved their worth, providing firepower and protection against Taliban threats, notably during intense operations in Kandahar.
Canada Gave Up Any Semblance of Military Power After 2011
Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan ended in 2011. Along with it, Canada appears to have lost all will to maintain any semblance of a reliable national defense—all while hectoring their American neighbors on what is right. In the previously-unthinkable event of a U.S.-Canada war, Ottawa no doubt intends to lean on Europe to back it up.
But nothing determines the outcome of disputes as well as hardened militaries. And in the event of a conflict, Canada’s “Leopards Without Claws” will prove useless against the might of the United States.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Filmbildfabrik.