Leclerc evolution unveiled: Future-proofing French tank forces

During the ongoing Eurosatory trade fair, the KNDS group presented several very interesting modernisations of the tanks they produce. One of them is the Leclerc Evolution tank, dedicated to current and potential users of the French Leclerc tank. Let's present the features of this latest intensive modernisation.

At the Eurosatory fair, tanks such as EMBT ADT-140, KF51U, and two deep modernisations of currently used machines are presented. The latest proposal for Leopard 2 machines, designated as Leopard-2 A-RC 3.0, and the modification for Leclerc tanks under the name Leclerc Evolution, belong to the last category.

This involves placing an unmanned turret from the EMBT tank on the well-known Leclerc tank chassis, reinforced with reactive armour modules. This economical solution will reduce costs, as it will be possible to use the produced chassis in the rebuilding process.

The French have opted for a modular main gun, the ASCALON in calibres of 120mm or 140mm. This design allows the use of huge existing stocks of 120mm tank ammunition while maintaining the ability to easily rearm with the 140mm gun, offering up to 70% greater striking power in the future.

Additionally, the turret features a remotely controlled ARX turret with a 30mm automatic cannon instead of a large-calibre Browning M2 machine gun. This choice ensures significantly greater firepower and, in the case of using programmable ammunition, as seen with the Skyranger, also enables drone hunting.

The turret is equipped with an active defence 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 a couple of reconnaissance drones.

These are extremely useful for the tank crew, as due to their specificity, the ability to observe the terrain outside is very limited. It is worth noting that the Ukrainians use improvised drone-tank cooperation solutions.

This also led the French to increase the crew to four soldiers housed in a heavily armoured hull despite the presence of a 22-round automatic loader. The additional crew member will serve as a scout by controlling drones and handling additional weapons, such as the 30mm cannon.

This makes the Leclerc adapted to the requirements of the modern battlefield and sufficient for the next few decades. Potential users include France and the United Arab Emirates, but India, which is looking for a replacement for over a thousand T-72 tanks, could also join the pair. France has a significant presence, which is only growing with Russia's marginalisation in the international arms trade market.