NEXTER Secures New Contract for Upgraded Leclerc Tank Revitalization
On 29 December 2022, the French defense procurement agency (DGA) issued a contract to Nexter for the refurbishment of 50 upgraded Leclerc tanks (XLR). Industrial qualification assessments are ongoing in close partnership with the DGA and the French Armed Forces. A first prototype tank was handed over to the DGA by the close of 2022, with the initial 18 operational tanks slated for delivery to the Army within 2023, following the timeline of the refurbishment agreement granted to Nexter on 1 June 2021.
An upgraded tank incorporated into the SCORPION joint combat system
The primary aim of this refurbishment is to assimilate the Leclerc main battle tank, referred to as “XLR”, into the SCORPION joint combat system featuring a new combat information system (SICS). The XLR is outfitted with the CONTACT radio and the vetronics common to SCORPION units. Moreover, its defensive and offensive capabilities have been significantly enhanced, attributed to:
- Augmented protection against mines and missile threats;
- The inclusion of a 7.62 mm remotely controlled turret for urban warfare;
- The creation of a new fire control framework with the capability to launch munitions with programmable effects or triggers.
The Leclerc tank, operational since 1993
The Leclerc main battle tank has been utilized by the French Army in international operations across Lebanon, Estonia, and more recently in Romania. Nexter has been ensuring its operational readiness in the Army’s training facilities since the initiation of a vertical support agreement in 2010.
The Leclerc tank is a third-generation 60-ton class vehicle, produced by Nexter in Roanne until July 2008. Its crew consists of 3 personnel: the tank commander, the gunner, and the driver. It is armed with a 120 mm smoothbore cannon and a 12.7 mm coaxial machine gun. A total of 200 Leclerc tanks will be refurbished for the Army by 2029.
