France will show a life size model of the Leclerc XLR Main Battle Tank at Eurosatory 2016 from 13 to 17 June 2016 in Paris, reported by forcesoperations.com.
The Leclerc XLR is a moderate variation of the Leclerc Main Battle Tank, built by GIAT Industries. This “Scorpionisation” provides for the delivery of 200 Leclerc XLR tanks and 18 Leclerc recovery vehicles (known by their French acronym DCL) between 2020 and 2028. This should allow the Leclerc to remain operational beyond 2040.
The €330m contract was logically awarded in March 2015 to its original manufacturer, Nexter Systems, said the head of the Leclerc upgrade contract for the French systems integrator. It has three main objectives: to integrate the Leclerc into the “Scorpion bubble”, adapt it for operations in urban environments, and improve its ability to attack. The first two prototypes will be delivered in 2018 and will be directly followed by the notification of production tranches.
Destined to operate in a joint tactical “Scorpion” group, the Leclerc will get new open vetronics architecture, the CONTACT radio being developed by Thales and the future Scorpion information and communication system (SICS) provided by Atos.