While France’s Leclerc main battle tank (MBT) may not be as widely recognized as its American and British counterparts, it is still considered a powerful platform.
While France’s Leclerc main battle tank (MBT) may not be as widely recognized as its American and British counterparts, it is still considered a powerful platform.
The significance of tank warfare in modern conflicts has been exemplified by Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. These age-old armored vehicles provide the most survivable means of transport for soldiers and can soak up scores of damage from incoming fire
. Since February 2022, both Moscow and Kyiv have deployed a variety of tanks to aid their respective war efforts. Although a pretty stubborn stalemate in Ukraine continues to halt any real progress in either direction, the presence and use of MBTs have been well-documented.
The U.S., Britain, and Germany have pledged to deliver M1A1 Abrams, Challengers, and Leopards to aid Kyiv’s defensive strategy in the invasion. However, the French Leclerc remains absent in the war.
The Leclerc’s AMX-30 predecessor was designed by Ateliers de construction d’llsy-les Moulinaeux (AMX) to prioritize mobility over everything else.
Since the tank was smaller in frame than other MBTs, it was much speedier. Foreign client states appreciated the MBT’s capabilities and it was soon transported across the globe. Saudi Arabia, Chile, Greece, and Venezuela were among the countries to procure this tank.
In the mid-1960s, French engineers began studying options for a possible replacement vehicle for its AMX-30 MBT. Over the next few years, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between France and West Germany to jointly undertake the development of a new collaborative tank. Designated the Napoleon I in France and Kampfpanzer III in Germany, the joint MBT never actually came to fruition.
Due to design disagreements and other irrevocable differences, France ended up developing its own domestic MBT. The new Leclerc tank was named to honor the general who led the French element in the liberation of Paris during the Second World War.
Production of the Leclerc began in the late 1970s. A total of 406 tanks were ultimately constructed. Today, the Leclerc is the sole tank to be used by the French Army. An advanced modular system protects the exterior of the MBT.
Its armor is a combination of Kevlar, ceramics, and steel. To improve survivability, the Leclerc’s main electrical systems were duplicated. In terms of armaments, the French tank is quite formidable. A 120m 52-calibre smoothbore gun is fitted onto the MBT, which can fire armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot and high-explosive anti-tank rounds.
Additional details surrounding the tank’s armaments have been detailed by Army Technology. “The tank has an automatic loading system, which allows cross-country fire-on-the-move against mobile targets. 22 rounds of ready-to-use ammunition are carried. The tank is also armed with a 12.7mm machine gun co-axial with the main gun and a roof-mounted 7.62mm anti-aircraft gun. A remotely operated T2B turret equipped with a 7.62mm calibre supplied by Nexter’s Belgian partner and firearm company FN Herstal will be installed on the Leclerc XLR to enhance its armament capabilities.” 
The tank’s gun features a magnesium alloy thermal sleeve to help prevent warping. Notably, the Leclerc’s autoloader enables the gun to fire on an eight-second-long sequence.
Over the years, the Leclerc has undergone several upgrades in order for the platform to retain an edge over competitor MBTs.
Most recently, the tank’s defensive potential was enhanced when passive remote sensing modules were incorporated to shield the hull’s sides.
A radio jamming device has also been added to the tank, intended to neutralize improvised devices. While these improvements are important, the Leclerc tank is not without its flaws.
The Bulgarian Military spelled out some of these cons in an earlier report.
“Overall, the modernization has been received positively. However, critics believe that the increase in weight has pushed the technology to the brink of further development. They also point out the lack of an active protection system, which many other NATO tanks are already equipped with or planning to install. Critics have also mentioned the absence of a UAV protection system and a poorly designed weapon remote control module, which has a limited machine gun elevation angle, hindering effective combat against air targets. There are currently plans to upgrade 200 units to the Leclerc XLR standard by 2029, out of the 215 vehicles serving in the French army.”
Since Russia’s Ukraine invasion commenced 600+ days ago, the U.S. and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies have delivered billions of dollars worth of military aid to support Kyiv. Main battle tanks, like the Abrams, Challengers, and Leopards, have been included in these deals.
France’s Leclerc certainly is more advanced than the storage-bound Soviet-era MBTs Russia is sending out to the frontlines. However, French officials have been resistant to sending the Leclerc to Ukraine as they question how useful these tanks would really be.
“There’s no political objection,” a French defense official told news service Agence France-Presse last year. “We are just wondering whether the Leclerc would be a poisoned chalice. The aim is to be useful and effective.”
Today, only three nations operate the French tank. If Ukrainian tank operators had issues with maintaining their Leclercs, Kyiv would have difficulty acquiring spare parts from other sources of the vehicle.
Maya Carlin is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has by-lines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post, and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
All Images are Creative Commons.
April 3, 2017
© Copyright 2023 Center for the National Interest All Rights Reserved
