I would like to suggest a pretty good tank, possibly the final version of the Leclerc, the Leclerc XLR
The Leclerc XLR is an upgrade of the Leclerc MBT. The upgrade is rather basic. it on one side, improved the protection of the tank which was already pretty well armored, but also modernized the equipment inside of the tank, such as the sight. the tank also introduced a new Rounds developed by KNDS, the 120mm Shard. this tank. the Leclerc XLR was designed in 2015 and the upgrade was started to be incorporated into the existing Leclerc in 2020. 198 Leclerc would be upgraded by 2028. this upgrade is intended to extend the life of the Leclerc until his replacement by the next generation of MBT (which would probably have a 140mm gun) the tank incorporates an improved RPG and mine protection, a full integration to the Scorpion system, a new fire-control and a new roof mounted turret for urban combat. currently, the first Leclerc XLR has been delivered to the French units since November 2023
Firepower
The firepower was improved. not by the gun that remains the same 120mm CN-120-26 L/52 found on the other Leclerc MBTs but because of the new fire control improved the accuracy and incorporated the new ammunition including the Shard Mk.1 and the HE M3M. The gun is still paired with the same auto-loader found in the other Leclerc and it also has thermal vision and night vision as well as a laser rangefinder. the tank features a 12.7mm coaxial machine gun and an additional 7.62mm remotely controlled light machine gun turret on the roof.
Mobility
The Leclerc XLR is not receiving any real improvement in mobility. it has the same 1500 hp engine, the same transmission, the same suspension, and the same gearbox. but it is heavier. 57,000 kg make the XLR the heaviest Leclerc. reducing the mobility a bit. as the power/weight ration would fall to 25.85 hp/ton. but this will not be so much different than the XXI. the Leclerc XLR would remain an MBT with great mobility
Protection
The armor of the Leclerc XLR is improved. the front of the turret and the side of the hull is given even more modular composite armor. and the rear of the tank now includes slat armor. this increases significantly the resistance against ATGM and chemical energy rounds, but the weakness of the Leclerc XLR remains the same as any Leclerc. the tank also features an additional IED jammer, Killer/hunter system, automatic fire suppressor, laser warning system, and Galix grenade launchers. Besides that improvement, the rest of the tank is the same as the other Leclerc MBT.
I do have a significant firepower buff over the Azur who sit at 11.7
but to balance and not create a compression, other vehicles should also receive similar buff.
the Leopard 2A7 for example, should get the DM-73 APFSDS which should be slightly better than the Shard Mk.1. the DM-73 can only be fired from the RH 120 L/55A1
the British may not have the DM-73 but regardless I would give it to the Challenger 3 just for balance
the Russians would get the 3BM70 apfsds too for their late MBT and eventually get the T-14 armata.
USA could get more modern tanks such as the Abram-X
and there is the prototype of up-gunned tanks such as the Leclerc 140, Leopard 2-140, KF-51, Abrams thumper, Obiekt 292, T-14 armada, Challenger 2-130, Type 99G-140, Merkava 5
there could be a whole up-date aiming to add the tanks of tomorrow and raise up the max BR further more for a last time
well this is France’s best Leclerc not sure why they would make it a premium.
The armor we are using in game right now most likely wouldn’t change to the pre production they would basically be Leclerc s1 with a worse dart like ofl g1 at 11.0 like the type 90
But it is a transition version between the tanks currently in service and their replacement by EMBT in the near future. Few are available now and may remain due to the economic choices of the military programming law / Loi de programmation militaire.
So he would be a great candidate to fill this game-changing role.
If not, the top tier of France will remain a underdeveloped tree and little incentive to play.
Yes, it would be nice to see it here, but whether the developers will manage to model it correctly and not produce any predetermined breaking points is very questionable.
I’m not super optimistic about the future of french MBTs with gaijin track record other than the 140 mms
I am optimistic about scout/ifv vehicles they did make a good effort to model the Vextra but they seem so set on this 9.7 line up I don’t know what to expect anymore
Most nations are onto there Tech demonstrators after 1 or 2 production mbts now France’s problem is just Gaijin’s choices nothing else
We just shouldn’t expect too much then the disappointment is at its minimum, on a positive note there are Benelux tanks coming soon, looking forward to the Belgians.