Leclerc

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The Leclerc T7 as it appears in Steel Beasts Professional

Leclerc T7: Main Battle Tank


Statistics

Main Gun: 120mm GIAT CN120-26/52
Ammunition Stowage: 22 ready/18 stowed
Default Ammunition 'A': 13/10 OFL 120 F2 APFSDS-T, 9/8 DM12A1 (OECC 120 F1) HEAT-T


Coaxial machine gun: 12.7mm GIAT M693
Ammunition Stowage: 150 ready/650 stowed
Default Ammunition: 150/650 M2 AP-T


Grenade Dischargers: Grenades
Ammunition Stowage: 6 ready/12 stowed (Smoke), 4 ready/4 stowed (HE)*
Default Ammunition: (x2) 3x 1/2 GALIX Smoke, 2x 1/1 HE

  • The HE and Smoke grenades represent single rounds fired as salvos using the left/right dischargers.

Armour Protection:
Frontal Turret Armour: 270mm-890mm vs KE, 270mm-1010mm vs HEAT
Frontal Hull Armour: 180mm-660mm vs KE, 270mm-700mm vs HEAT
(SB documentation)


Leclerc Armor.jpg


Combat Weight: 56.3 tonnes
Length: 6.88m (Hull)
Width: 3.6m
Height: 2.53m
Engine Power: 1,500hp SACM V8X-1500 8-cylinder Diesel
Top Speed: 72kph

General

Named in honor of General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, the AMX Leclerc is a fourth-generation main battle tank in service with the French and United Arab Emirates armies. Designed as a replacement for the French Army's fleet of increasingly obsolete AMX-30 series tanks, initial development began in 1983. The first six prototypes were completed in 1986 with serial production beginning in 1991. A total of 794 Leclerc MBTs have been manufactured for domestic use and export in three séries (1, 2, and XXI) over 11 tranché (Fr: batches) each involving successive upgrades and improvements.

Basic armament consists of a fully stabilized 120mm GIAT CN120-26/52 smooth-bore tank gun backed by a coaxial 12.7mm GIAT M693 machine-gun and a remotely controlled roof-mounted 7.62 mm AA-52 anti-aircraft gun at the gunner's station (version dependent). At 52 calibers the GIAT CN120 offers a higher muzzle velocity compared to the Rheinmetall L44 while maintaining interchangeability with other NATO ammunition types and is equipped with a compressed-air fume extraction system rather than a bore evacuator. A 22-round auto-loader feeds the main gun allowing a 12 round per minute rate of fire and reducing the vehicle crew to three. An additional 18 rounds are stored in a horizontal rotary-rack mounted in the right-front of the hull.

Fire Control involves a SAGEM HL-60 gunner's primary sight with 3.3x and 10x magnification (day channel) and 3x, 6x, 10x, and 20x magnifications for the thermal channel. A Nd:YAG [Neodymium: Yttrium Aluminum Garnet] laser rangefinder is provided for target ranging, a full meteorological suite, and a semi-automatic tracking feature to increase first round hit probability. The commander is provided a HL-70 panoramic sight with a 2.5x and 10x magnification day channel and a fixed 2.5x magnification thermal channel, along with a separate LRF for hunter-killer capability.

Motive power is provided by a 1500hp eight-cylinder SACM (now Wärtsilä) V8X-1500 Hyperbar diesel engine coupled with an automatic SESM ESM500 transmission with 5 forward and 2 reverse speeds offering an excellent power-to-weight ratio. Suspension is of the hydro-pneumatic type.

Concerned with the over-specialization of British-designed Chobham/Burlington armors against HEAT projectiles, the protection for the Leclerc is an advanced modular armor array of French design offering ton for ton an approximate 50% greater resistance to Sabot rounds while retaining good performance vs. HEAT. Integral to the Leclerc's defensive suite is the GIAT "GALIX" combat vehicle protection system, which fires a variety of smoke and infra red screening grenades, as well as high-explosive anti-personnel grenades.

The modeled version is the Leclerc Tranché 7 (T7) featuring a revised air conditioning system, upgraded visor, and an improved C2I data transmission system between the tank commander and HQ.

Beginning with revision 4.156 the Leclerc may be equipped with the Diehl Active Vehicle Protection System (AVePS) to enhance protection against RPG and ATGM threats.

Produced until 2007, the Leclerc is currently in service with the French and United Arab Emirates Armies.

Thermal Signature

AMX Leclerc T7 TIS image, front-right AMX Leclerc T7 TIS image, rear-left

Links

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