BERLIN - Berlin Saturday confirmed reports that Canada is to buy German Leopard tanks to equip its forces serving with the NATO multinational force in Afghanistan. The defence ministry said it was examining a request to that effect from Ottawa, confirming a report in the magazine Der Spiegel due to appear Monday which says that 80 A4 tanks could be bought from the German army reserve. ‘The ministry is in principle favourable to this request,’ a spokesman told AFP.| The Leopard 2A6 has been around a few years. It's a main battle tank similar to the M-1 Abrams. |
Canada has 2,500 troops deployed against the Taleban in the south of Afghanistan, while Germany has a force of 2,950 serving with the NATO International Secuirty Assistance Force in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.