France unveils updated Leclerc tank at Eurosatory defense fair

During the ongoing Eurosatory trade fair, the KNDS group presented several intriguing modernizations of the tanks they produce. Among them is the Leclerc Evolution tank, tailored for current and potential users of the French Leclerc tank. Let's delve into the features of this latest, significant modernization.

At the Eurosatory fair, tanks such as the EMBT ADT-140, KF51U, and two deep modernizations of currently used machines were showcased. The latest proposal for Leopard 2 machines, designated as the Leopard-2 A-RC 3.0, and the modification for Leclerc tanks known as Leclerc Evolution fall into the latter category.

This modernization involves placing an unmanned turret from the EMBT tank onto the well-known Leclerc tank chassis, reinforced with reactive armor modules. This economical solution reduces costs by utilizing existing chassis in the rebuilding process.

The French have opted for a modular main gun, the ASCALON, available in 4.7-inch or 5.5-inch calibers. This design allows the use of existing stocks of 4.7-inch tank ammunition while maintaining the ability to rearm easily with the 5.5-inch gun, offering up to 70% greater striking power in the future.

Additionally, the turret features a remotely controlled ARX turret with a 1.2-inch automatic cannon instead of a large-caliber Browning M2 machine gun. This upgrade ensures significantly greater firepower and facilitates drone hunting in the case of using programmable ammunition, as seen with the Skyranger.

The turret is equipped with an active defense system capable of shooting down incoming anti-tank missiles or drones, which, as shown by the experiences of Israel in the Gaza Strip, has become a necessity for every modern tank. Additionally, the French have installed their GALIX system of smoke or fragmentation grenade launchers and a launcher for reconnaissance drones.

These innovations are extremely useful for the tank crew, as their ability to observe the external environment is quite limited. The Ukrainians are already utilizing improvised drone-tank cooperation solutions.

This led the French to increase the crew size to four soldiers, all placed in a heavily armored hull despite the presence of a 22-round automatic loader. The additional crew member will serve as a scout, controlling drones and handling the additional 1.2-inch automatic cannon.

All these features make the Leclerc well-adapted to the demands of the modern battlefield, and sufficient for the coming decades. Potential users include France and the United Arab Emirates, with India also a possibility, as it seeks a replacement for over a thousand T-72 tanks. France's significant presence in the international arms trade market is growing, especially as Russia's influence wanes.