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France KNDS
Leclerc XLR
The modernized standard of France's Leclerc main battle tank, adding a new digital architecture, remote weapon station and improved protection against IEDs and mines. It keeps the Leclerc's distinctive autoloaded 120 mm gun and compact crew of three.
In service since 2023 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-01
72
km/h
550
km range
27
hp/t
120
mm gun
56,800
kg
💲 ≈ $9,000,000, Approximate XLR upgrade cost per unit
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 2023. Status: active · ~200 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
$23M – $32M
Acquisition is only ~30% of lifecycle cost, operating & support dominate over ~30 yrs. Rough 2.5–3.5× the unit price. How we estimate this →
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 XLR 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 CN120-26/52 smoothbore (autoloaded) |
|---|---|
| Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods. | 12.7 mm + 7.62 mm 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 |
|---|---|
| Active protection Hard-kill APS (Trophy, Arena, Afganit) intercepts incoming projectiles before impact. | in evaluation |
| Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets. | No |
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | smoke grenade launchers, GALIX defense system |
| 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. | 56,800 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. | Wartsila-SACM 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 fire control, panoramic commander sight |
|---|---|
| Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations. | Yes |
Munition
Round type, penetration, velocity and projectile data.
| Caliber Bore diameter the round is fired from. | 120 mm |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper. | $9,000,000 |
|---|---|
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 200 |
| 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 2026-07-01.
Compare with rivals
See how it stacks up
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KNDS Leopard 2A7 
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Leclerc XLR vs
T-90M 
Type 99A 
Challenger 3 
Merkava Mk4 
Altay Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the KNDS Leclerc XLR? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR has a maximum speed of 72 km/h.
What is the range of the KNDS Leclerc XLR? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR has a maximum range of 550 km.
How much does the KNDS Leclerc XLR weigh? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR has a combat weight of 56,800 kg.
How many crew does the KNDS Leclerc XLR require? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR requires a crew of 3.
What is the main armament of the KNDS Leclerc XLR? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR's primary weapon is the 120 mm CN120-26/52 smoothbore (autoloaded).
What engine does the KNDS Leclerc XLR use? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR is powered by the Wartsila-SACM V8X-1500 hyperbar diesel.
What is the KNDS Leclerc XLR used for? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor, infantry combat.
How many countries operate the KNDS Leclerc XLR? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the KNDS Leclerc XLR cost? +
The KNDS Leclerc XLR has an approximate unit cost of 9,000,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration, treat this as directional.
Similar systems
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T-90M obr. 2022
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