Leclerc tanks - France: books - history, types and construction

Char Leclerc

The Leclerc is the only battle tank serving in operational combat units in the French Army. Designed as a Cold War era tank killer that could take on numerically superior enemies, the Leclerc has served the armies of France and the United Arab Emirates for over twenty years. Since 1989 when the first Leclerc prototype appeared, it has been counted amongst the world's most complex and deadly AFVs. Despite its fame, relatively little has appeared on the Leclerc in English, and much of the information about the Leclerc on the web is incorrect. Even in French, it has been ten years since the Leclerc was studied in a published work.

This book by MP Robinson and Thierry Guillemain is a survey of the Leclerc's development and service in the French Army right up to the present day. It explains the differences between the eleven Leclerc production batches produced for the French Army, the different Leclerc derived vehicles, and the changes that have transformed the French armoured force since the Leclerc first entered service.
This latest addition to the Kagero Photosniper series is illustrated with over 220 unpublished photographs and ten colour plates, making it an ideal reference for historians and modellers alike.

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Char Leclerc - de la Guerre froide aux conflits de demain

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Designed to counter Soviet tanks in Germany, the Leclerc set new performance standards. Forty years after its development, it remains a benchmark for engineers worldwide.

It can hit seven moving targets at 3.000 m in one minute while driving at 50 km/h off-road - an achievement made possible by cutting-edge technology. With its modular design, it is already prepared for modern combat alongside drones, robots, and networked soldiers connected through a tactical intranet.

Using previously unpublished archives and firsthand accounts, the author, who was involved in the project for over twelve years, details its development, Franco-German cooperation, and secret versions. As the next generation of armored vehicles takes shape, this book provides an in-depth look at one of the world's most advanced battle tanks.

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