French Army Main Battle Tank Equipped with Anti-Drone Grille
Reference News Network, June 18 According to a report from the U.S. Defense News weekly website on June 15, the French Army showcased an upgraded "Leclerc" XLR main battle tank equipped with cage armor on top.
In the initial months following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, this type of protection was widely mocked on social media as a "psychological comfort cage" when similar structures appeared on Russian tanks, but it has since proven effective against drones on the modern battlefield.
Olivier Coquet, head of the French Army's technical department, briefed reporters at the European International Defense Exhibition held near Paris on the 14th, stating that the French Army's technical department has developed a prototype of this metal cage, which is currently being manufactured by KNDS Defense Systems and is being delivered to tank units.
With the increasing threat of drones, both Russian and Ukrainian forces have adopted tanks with top-mounted armor.
Coquet stated that as part of France's "Scorpion" armored vehicle modernization program, France is upgrading the "Leclerc" tank. The "Leclerc" tank is equipped with a 120mm caliber cannon and an automatic loader, with a crew of three.
Coquet indicated that the French main battle tank will reach its service life by 2035, and the army plans to acquire a transitional equipment to fill the gap between the retirement of the "Leclerc" tank and the arrival of the ground combat system.
He mentioned that the joint ground combat system project could be realized around 2045.
Coquet stated that the planned ground combat system "clearly" will not just be a tank, but a networked system equipped with artificial intelligence. The transitional equipment will be "the first cornerstone of the ground combat system. This is what we are looking for." (Translated by Tu Qi)
The French Army is upgrading its Leclerc XLR main battle tanks with anti-drone cage armor, as announced by Olivier Coquet at the European International Defense Exhibition near Paris on June 14, 2023. This upgrade is part of the modernization plan for the Scorpion armored vehicle program, responding to the increasing threat of drones. The Leclerc tanks are expected to remain in service until 2035, with a new ground combat system projected for around 2045.
- The French Army is upgrading Leclerc XLR tanks with anti-drone cage armor.
- The upgrade is part of the modernization plan for the Scorpion armored vehicle program.
- The cage armor was initially mocked but has proven effective against drones.
- The French Army plans to transition to a new ground combat system by 2045.
- The Leclerc tank is equipped with a 120mm gun and an automated loader.