Leclerc

France’s high-speed third-generation main battle tank — a three-man design built around a 1,500 hp Hyperbar diesel and a 120 mm L/52 smoothbore with an autoloader, now undergoing a fleet-wide digital upgrade to the XLR standard.

Overview

The AMX-56 Leclerc is the French Army’s sole main battle tank, fielded since the early 1990s and exported to the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. It is the only operational NATO MBT to combine a three-man crew with a bustle-mounted autoloader, a feature that reduces the turret’s interior volume and allows a compact, high-mobility package. The current fleet is being brought to the Leclerc XLR standard under France’s SCORPION modernisation programme, which adds a digitised vetronics suite, enhanced armour and new remote-weapon systems while retaining the tank’s signature cross-country agility.

🔒 The full Leclerc file is for BattlePolicy Pro members. Below the line: development history, design and capabilities, variants, the combat record, advantages and limitations, comparable systems, outlook, the full specifications table, our sourcing, and the analyst assessment — procurement, suppliers and the BattlePolicy verdict. Unlock the full file with BattlePolicy Pro →