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France KNDS
Leclerc
France's baseline main battle tank, distinguished by an autoloader that reduces crew to three and a modular composite armor design. It entered service with the French Army and the United Arab Emirates before later being succeeded by the upgraded XLR standard.
In service since 1992 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
72
km/h
550
km range
27
hp/t
120
mm gun
54,500
kg
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
French export-licensed
CIEEMG inter-ministerial approval; broadly export-oriented.
Channel: DGA / direct commercial
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 1992. Status: active · ~862 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Leclerc can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 72 km/h |
|---|---|
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 550 km |
| Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility. | 27 hp/t |
| Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration. | 1,750 m/s |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type. | 120 mm GIAT CN120-26 smoothbore |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods. | 12.7 mm + 7.62 mm coaxial machine guns |
| Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better, ammunition commonality matters. | 120 mm |
| Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity. | 40 |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified. | Modular composite armor |
|---|---|
| Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets. | No |
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | GALIX smoke/decoy launchers |
| NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments. | Yes |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 9.87 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 3.71 m |
| Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles. | 2.53 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 54,500 kg |
| Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity. | 3 |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | SACM Wärtsilä V8X-1500 hyperbar diesel |
|---|---|
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 1,500 hp |
| Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume. | 1,300 L |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Diesel |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | autoloader-integrated fire control, hunter-killer sighting |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 862 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
Specifications compiled from public KNDS and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Altay Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the KNDS Leclerc? +
The KNDS Leclerc has a maximum speed of 72 km/h.
What is the range of the KNDS Leclerc? +
The KNDS Leclerc has a maximum range of 550 km.
How much does the KNDS Leclerc weigh? +
The KNDS Leclerc has a combat weight of 54,500 kg.
How many crew does the KNDS Leclerc require? +
The KNDS Leclerc requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the KNDS Leclerc? +
The KNDS Leclerc's primary weapon is the 120 mm GIAT CN120-26 smoothbore.
What engine does the KNDS Leclerc use? +
The KNDS Leclerc is powered by the SACM Wärtsilä V8X-1500 hyperbar diesel.
What is the KNDS Leclerc used for? +
The KNDS Leclerc is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor, infantry combat.
How many countries operate the KNDS Leclerc? +
The KNDS Leclerc is operated by 2 countries.
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