Armor of Leclerc tanks
Leclerc SXXI:
“Written question No. 24140 from Mr. Warsmann Jean-Luc (Union for a Popular Movement - Ardennes) published in the Official Journal on 01/09/2003 page 6776.”
Mr. Jean-Luc Warsmann draws the attention of the Minister of Defense to the nature of the armor of the future Leclerc S XXI tank mentioned in her response to question no. 21313 published in the Official Journal on August 4, 2003, page 6198. He would like to know if the tank that will soon be delivered to the French army will be equipped with armor capable of resisting depleted uranium munitions similar to those used by the American army during the war in Iraq.
Response published in the Official Journal on 27/10/2003 page 8199.
The Leclerc SXXI tanks will be equipped with a new turret armor that will provide them with better protection of the frontal arc against missiles and next-generation armor-piercing munitions.
The latest generation shells in 2003 included shells such as the 3BM46 from 1991, the DM53 from 2001, or the KEW-A2: M829A2, which dates back to before the 2000s. I couldn’t find a precise date, but a document discussing these APFSDS was published in 2000 by General Dynamics, the manufacturer of these shells, suggesting that they were produced before the 2000s.
*If the DM53 has a penetration of 652mm at 10m at an angle of 0° as you claim in War Thunder, we can easily deduce that at least the armor of the turret of the SXXI is superior to 652mm based on this information.
On all the Leclerc :
According to the book “The Leclerc System” written by Stéphane Ferrard in 1992, the Leclerc.
The turret and chassis of the Leclerc tank consist of a framework made of mechanically welded steel plates onto which a set of removable boxes containing composite armor is mounted. The turret is protected by a set of twelve added boxes (six on each side), covered with a non-slip fiberglass coating. The turret is also surrounded by a set of composite boxes that serve a threefold purpose: to transport the onboard equipment, reduce the radar signature, and create spaced armor in front of the main composite armor blocks.
The turret also have reactive armor, in a video name « Le CHAR LECLERC : l’arme absolue de l’@Armeedeterre avec visite du poste de chef de char ! », made by « xavier tytelman », a tank commander of a leclerc explained that the turret is equiped with reactive armor inside, he explained that it protected the crew from penetration of any rpg or missile (yes gaijin even the vikhr).
Self-sealing structural tanks are located at the front right of the chassis, in front of the turret containing 18 rounds of 120 mm and above it, under the plate serving as a support for the composite armor of the glacis. The frontal protection of the chassis sides is provided by three lateral pre-armors, each consisting of a composite panel covered with a steel shell.
For the mobility, the reverse speed is 38km/h in game, irl its more than 50km/h like said a pilote of a leclerc in a video name « Reportage exclusif : à bord du nouveau char Leclerc de l’armée de Terre ! » made by « automotomagazine », to be more precise, he explained that the leclerc has two different reverse gear, a kinda slow one, and a fast one for needed situation, like a combat.
The turret is also independant from the chassis, it can move in a different direction at the same time at its max speed, like it was many times show during demonstration, and even told by a crew member of the leclerc (and show) in a video, name « ON TESTE LES LIMITES DU CHAR LECLERC AVEC L’ARMÉE (Tir, dérapages, pilotage…) » made by « legend » at + or – 21min.
Again, in the book name « The Leclerc Systeme », it is explain that t he engine is super quiet (for a tank) , information that you can also find easily and see by yourself in many video. We know that in game, the sound of the tank are a serious probleme, there was no work made on it, and no reasearch, cant hear a tank when its further than 50m, is kinda pathetic. One of the particularities of the Hyperbar process specific to the V8X1500 engine is that it does not smoke when accelerating, it only smoke when the tank is starting, which helps reduce the infrared signature of the tank. The exhaust temperature of the TM-307 B turbine never exceeds 370°C, whatever the speed of the tank’s Diesel engine. It was a goal during the developement of the Leclerc, reducing its visibility, trying to make this tank kinda stealth compare to other actual mbt at this time.
Its for now all the information that I found, and that are not in game, with serious source.