Canada became the first NATO country to send tanks into combat in Afghanistan on Saturday, seriously upping the ante in the fight to end the Taliban insurgency.

The deployment of the Canadian leopard tanks marked the first time since the Korean War Canadians have used such heavy firepower in a combat situation.

A squadron of the imposing tanks rolled through the Panjwaii district on Saturday morning, putting on a show of force for villagers before arriving at a forward observation base in Afghanistan's volatile south.

The tanks were sent into action after weeks of trial runs, and only after they were shipped to the war-torn nation at a cost of $1 million per tank, said CTV's Steve Chao, reporting from Kandahar.

They will be used to protect convoys -- which have often been targeted by roadside and suicide bombings -- and Canada's reconstruction team as it attempts to rebuild Afghanistan's infrastructure.

Tanks were last used in Afghanistan's rugged terrain three decades ago when the former Soviet Union made its siege on the nation.

The Canadian tanks, however, have been tailored specifically for service in the rough landscape where the Taliban are most at home, but where it is often difficult to make use of heavy equipment.

The leopards have more powerful engines than traditional tanks and a more accurate 105-millimetre gun. And the Canadian Forces has spent almost $200 million on custom upgrades, beefing up the tank's armour and weapons systems for combat in the rugged mountain passes where the Soviets failed.

They will also help Canada's soldiers penetrate the warren-like mud-walled compounds where the Taliban often hole up, and which are difficult for the infantry's light armoured vehicles to penetrate, Chao said.

The tanks make it clear the Canadians mean business, said Maj. Trevor Cadieu, a squadron commander.

"To the Taliban I think it should send a very clear message that the coalition is resolved to bringing security to the area and ultimately reconstruction," he said.

The new hardware will give the forces the ability to strike at the Taliban from further away and reduce the risk to Canadian troops.

"We can bring another force to them where they don't have to get into such close combat, where we can give them the punch from a little further away. So that's what we do," said Trooper Philip Mooney, a gunner.

There are about 2,500 Canadian troops serving in Afghanistan. Including Monday's deaths, 44 have died since 2002, plus one diplomat.

With a report from CTV's Steve Chao in Kandahar