Military Knowledge: Leclerc Main Battle Tank
The Leclerc is a third-generation French main battle tank developed and manufactured by Nexter Systems. The Leclerc is currently the only Western tank with an Autoloader. This tank was named in honour of Marshal Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque, a commander of the Free French Forces, who led the 2nd Armoured Division in World War II.
Specifications of Leclerc tank version XXI:
Type: Main Battle Tank (MBT)
Unveiled: prototype in 1986 – prototype XXI in the late 1990s
Production: 2003 to 2008
Manufacturer: Nexter
Origin: France
Length: 9.87 meters (6.88 meters without gun)
Width: 3.60 meters
Height: 2.53 meters
Mass: 57.4 tons
Crew: 3
Main armament: GIAT CN120-26/52 120mm tank gun with 40 rounds (1 round ready to fire in the chamber, 22 rounds inside the autoloader magazine with additional 18 rounds cylinder in the hull)
Secondary armament: 12.7 mm coaxial M2HB machine gun (1,100 rounds) And 7.62 mm machine gun (3,000 rounds)
Armor: replaceable composite armor in the SXXI version including titanium and semi-reactive layers
Engine: 8-cylinder V8X SACM diesel (Wärtsilä) with 1500 horsepower
Speed to weight ratio: 27.52 horsepower per ton
Suspension system: hydropneumatic
Fuel capacity: 1300 liters (1700 liters with additional tanks)
Operational range: 550 km with fuel and 650 km with external fuel
Speed: 71 km/h on road and 55 km/h off road
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