Leclerc Main Battle Tank

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Leclerc Main Battle Tank


Leclerc Mk 2 tanks with improved software and engine control system entered production in 1998.

The Leclerc Main Battle Tank (MBT) built by Giat Industries is operational with the French Army and the Armed Forces of Abu Dhabi of the United Arab Emirates. The Leclerc was first operational with the French Army in 1992 and with UAE in 1995. Leclerc Mk 2 tanks with improved software and engine control system entered production in 1998.
The French Army has nearly 300 Leclerc MBTs in service and in September 2001 ordered the final tranche of 52, concluding a total order of 406 (plus 20 armoured recovery vehicles). Deliveries are expected to be completed by 2006. 390 tanks and 46 armoured recovery vehicles have been ordered by UAE. Deliveries of the tanks were completed in May 2004, deliveries of the ARVs will conclude in 2006.
In June 2006, Giat unveiled the Leclerc optimised for urban operations. It is fitted with the AZUR kit, which consists of additional protection in the form of side skirts of composite material, bar armour on the rear of hull and turret to protect against Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs) and extra protection for the engine against petrol bombs.
A remotely-controlled 7.62mm machine gun is also fitted in addition to the 120mm gun. The French Army is to evaluate the system at the end of 2006.

FINDERS BATTLE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The Leclerc is fitted with the FINDERS (Fast Information, Navigation, Decision and Reporting System) battlefield management system, developed by Giat. FINDERS includes a colour map display which shows the positions of the host tank, allied and hostile forces and designated targets and can be used for route and mission planning.
The French Army has selected Giat to equip its Leclerc main battle tanks with a Terminal Information System (TIS) called Icone (Ergonomic Communications and Navigation Interface). The initial phase of the contract covers the equipment of more than 100 Leclerc tanks.
The TIS has been developed together with EADS Defense Electronics Systems. It permits the exchange of digitised data including tactical situation and the graphic orders displayed on a background map, between the vehicle and higher level command.

LECLERC MBT ARMAMENT
The 120mm 52-calibre smoothbore gun is fitted with a thermal sleeve and muzzle reference system. Fumes are exhausted with a compressed air unit. The gun, which fires APFSD (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilised Discarding Sabot) and HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) rounds, has a firing rate of 12 rounds/minute. The aiming system is entirely electrical for improved acceleration.
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.

LECLERC DIGITAL FIRE CONTROL AND OBSERVATION SYSTEMS
("In 2006, Giat unveiled the Leclerc optimised for urban operation.")
The digital fire control system allows the gunner or commander to select six different targets to be engaged in just over 30 seconds. The system's digital computer allows realtime treatment of data from the tank's sensors and sights.
The commander has eight periscopes and an HL-70 stabilised panoramic sight from Safran (formerly SAGEM). HL-70 includes laser rangefinder, day channel, and second-generation image intensifier.
Recognition range is 4km and identification range is 2.5km. The commander has a display showing the gunner's thermal sight.
The gunner's station is equipped with gunner's main sight, three periscopes and a visual display unit. The gunner's stabilised sight is SAVAN 20 from Safran, which contains a three-field-of-view thermal imager.
The driver's station has three periscopes, of which the centre periscope is the OB-60 driver's sight developed by Thales Optronique (formerly Thomson-CSF), which has day and night channels.

GALIX COMBAT VEHICLE PROTECTION SYSTEM
Leclerc is fitted with Galix combat vehicle protection system, developed by GIAT and Lacroix Tous Artifices. Nine launch tubes for the 80mm grenades are fitted on either side of the turret roof. The Galix system can launch smoke or anti-personnel grenades or infrared decoys.
Giat has developed the KBCM defensive aids suite which can befitted to the Leclerc. KBCM includes laser warner, missile warner, infrared jammer and the Galix system and can be integrated with the FINDERS battle management system. The French Army has evaluated the system.

SACM V8X-1500 HYPERBAR DIESEL ENGINE
The Leclerc is equipped with an SACM V8X-1500 Hyperbar diesel engine providing 1,500hp at 2,500rpm. An electronic engine management system is supplied by Safran. The SESM ESM 500 automatic transmission has a hydrostatic transmission unit and five forward and two reverse gears. The engine is fitted with a Suralmo-Hyperbar high pressure gas turbine. The engine provides a road speed over 70km/h and cross country speed up to 50km/h.
The tank also has a Turbomeca TM-307B gas turbine auxiliary power unit. The hydropneumatic suspension system is from Societe d'Applications des Machines Motrices (SAMM).

UAE TROPICALISED LECLERC MAIN BATTLE TANK
The tropicalised Leclerc is optimised for tropical and desert conditions to meet the requirement of the UAE. A new powerpack and diesel auxiliary power unit has been installed and the hull is extended at the back to accommodate the powerpack and larger fuel tanks. The Euro Powerpack has the MTU 883 V-12 diesel engine providing 1,500hp, coupled with Renk HSWL295 TM automatic transmission.
For this and export versions of the tank, Giat has developed the Leclerc Battle Management Equipment (LBME), a derivative of FINDERS. The HL-70 commander's sight has been replaced by the HL-80, also from SFIM.

NEW GENERATION RECOVERY VEHICLE
The Leclerc New Generation Recovery Vehicle (NGRV) has a longer hull with seven pairs of wheels. An hydraulically operated blade at the front of the vehicle is used to clear a path through battlefield obstacles. The vehicle is equipped with an hydraulic crane rated to lift 30,000kg loads and a winch with 180m cable rated at 35,000kg. A secondary winch is rated at 1,500kg. The crane and winch systems are supplied by Rheinmetall Landsystemes GmbH.

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• Behr Industry - Cooling and Air-Conditioning Systems
• Diehl Remscheid GmbH - Armoured Vehicle Tracks
• Giat Industries - Ammunition
• Giat Industries - Wheeled or Tracked Armoured Vehicles
• Honeywell-LMB - Fans and Motors for Aerospace and Defence Applications
• Kappa opto-electronics - Day and Night Sight Systems, Barrel Inspection, Marksmen Training and X-Ray Detection
• Nitrochemie / Rheinmetall Weapon Munition - Artillery and Mortar Charge Systems, Propulsion Systems and Components
• Photonis-DEP - Imaging Sensors for Night Vision
• RENK - Tank Transmission System
• Rothe Erde - Rothe Erde Special Bearings
• SpanSet - Lifting, Lashing and Personal Safety Systems
• William Cook Defence - Tank Tracks and Armour

Army Technology - Leclerc - Main Battle Tank

[rodion raskolnikov]

Nice battle tank, i am proud to see that France made a good one. Actually the only problem of this battle tank is the high sensitivity (that can be a weakness) of its sensors and of the general electronic system.

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RODION RASKOLNIKOV

[Kernunnos]

Camouflage is the same that cn be seen on recent italian army vehicles.

Nato specs or who is copying whom?

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Originally Posted by Breha

Camouflage is the same that cn be seen on recent italian army vehicles.

Nato specs or who is copying whom?

In fact there is no standard NATO camouflage paint except NATO-olive, which is more and more uncommon these days.
Today it is common to paint vehicles and tanks with mask pattern, for the FRG army it is RAL 6031 Bronzegreen, RAL 8027 Leatherbrown and RAL 9021 Tarblack. Other armies like the occupying US Army use the same colours for their military vehicles, patterns differ a little bit from German though. Countries that bought German Leopard 2 tanks, like The Netherlands, use the same camouflage patterns. Other countries, like Switzerland or Austria, no NATO members, also use this 3 colour sheme. France uses this colour shemes too, but the most vehicles I saw had a more olive-hued Bronzegreen.
It may not be forgotten it is impossible to have the exact colour applicated on every vehicle sind several firms produce these colours, and colours bleach out of course.
I find this matter fascinating since I was a model-maker a while ago, and always was interested in how original vehicles really look like, every then and now when time allows and I am in mood I assemble a model though
Since a few years I noticed a trend with army vehicle paintings here though, winter camouflage is less and less common, but desert camouflage all the more

Anstriche und Markierungen
RAL (color space system)