The DGA awarded Nexter a mid-life upgrade contract for 50 Leclerc tanks (pictured in the foreground at Eurosatory 2022) on 29 December 2022. (Nexter)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, ordered 50 upgraded Leclerc main battle tanks on 29 December 2022, the company announced in a press release on 12 January.

The first prototype of the upgraded tank, designated Leclerc XLR, was delivered to the DGA at the end of 2022. Under a mid-life upgrade (MLU) contract awarded to Nexter in June 2021, the first 18 operational Leclerc XLRs will be delivered to the French Army in 2023.

The MLU's primary aim is to integrate the Leclerc into the Scorpion collaborative combat system by equipping it with the Scorpion Combat Information System (SICS) from Atos and the Contact radio from Thales, as well as installing vectronic systems common to Scorpion vehicles. SICS and the Contact radio will allow voice and data to be exchanged simultaneously among network subscribers, vehicles (including Griffon, Jaguar, and VBL armoured vehicles), dismounted soldiers, and eventually Tigre (Tiger) Mk3 attack helicopters.

The DGA awarded Nexter a mid-life upgrade contract for 50 Leclerc tanks (pictured in the foreground at Eurosatory 2022) on 29 December 2022. (Nexter)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, ordered 50 upgraded Leclerc main battle tanks on 29 December 2022, the company announced in a press release on 12 January.

The first prototype of the upgraded tank, designated Leclerc XLR, was delivered to the DGA at the end of 2022. Under a mid-life upgrade (MLU) contract awarded to Nexter in June 2021, the first 18 operational Leclerc XLRs will be delivered to the French Army in 2023.

The MLU's primary aim is to integrate the Leclerc into the Scorpion collaborative combat system by equipping it with the Scorpion Combat Information System (SICS) from Atos and the Contact radio from Thales, as well as installing vectronic systems common to Scorpion vehicles. SICS and the Contact radio will allow voice and data to be exchanged simultaneously among network subscribers, vehicles (including Griffon, Jaguar, and VBL armoured vehicles), dismounted soldiers, and eventually Tigre (Tiger) Mk3 attack helicopters.

The DGA awarded Nexter a mid-life upgrade contract for 50 Leclerc tanks (pictured in the foreground at Eurosatory 2022) on 29 December 2022. (Nexter)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, ordered 50 upgraded Leclerc main battle tanks on 29 December 2022, the company announced in a press release on 12 January.

The first prototype of the upgraded tank, designated Leclerc XLR, was delivered to the DGA at the end of 2022. Under a mid-life upgrade (MLU) contract awarded to Nexter in June 2021, the first 18 operational Leclerc XLRs will be delivered to the French Army in 2023.

The MLU's primary aim is to integrate the Leclerc into the Scorpion collaborative combat system by equipping it with the Scorpion Combat Information System (SICS) from Atos and the Contact radio from Thales, as well as installing vectronic systems common to Scorpion vehicles. SICS and the Contact radio will allow voice and data to be exchanged simultaneously among network subscribers, vehicles (including Griffon, Jaguar, and VBL armoured vehicles), dismounted soldiers, and eventually Tigre (Tiger) Mk3 attack helicopters.

The DGA awarded Nexter a mid-life upgrade contract for 50 Leclerc tanks (pictured in the foreground at Eurosatory 2022) on 29 December 2022. (Nexter)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, ordered 50 upgraded Leclerc main battle tanks on 29 December 2022, the company announced in a press release on 12 January.

The first prototype of the upgraded tank, designated Leclerc XLR, was delivered to the DGA at the end of 2022. Under a mid-life upgrade (MLU) contract awarded to Nexter in June 2021, the first 18 operational Leclerc XLRs will be delivered to the French Army in 2023.

The MLU's primary aim is to integrate the Leclerc into the Scorpion collaborative combat system by equipping it with the Scorpion Combat Information System (SICS) from Atos and the Contact radio from Thales, as well as installing vectronic systems common to Scorpion vehicles. SICS and the Contact radio will allow voice and data to be exchanged simultaneously among network subscribers, vehicles (including Griffon, Jaguar, and VBL armoured vehicles), dismounted soldiers, and eventually Tigre (Tiger) Mk3 attack helicopters.

The DGA awarded Nexter a mid-life upgrade contract for 50 Leclerc tanks (pictured in the foreground at Eurosatory 2022) on 29 December 2022. (Nexter)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, ordered 50 upgraded Leclerc main battle tanks on 29 December 2022, the company announced in a press release on 12 January.

The first prototype of the upgraded tank, designated Leclerc XLR, was delivered to the DGA at the end of 2022. Under a mid-life upgrade (MLU) contract awarded to Nexter in June 2021, the first 18 operational Leclerc XLRs will be delivered to the French Army in 2023.

The MLU's primary aim is to integrate the Leclerc into the Scorpion collaborative combat system by equipping it with the Scorpion Combat Information System (SICS) from Atos and the Contact radio from Thales, as well as installing vectronic systems common to Scorpion vehicles. SICS and the Contact radio will allow voice and data to be exchanged simultaneously among network subscribers, vehicles (including Griffon, Jaguar, and VBL armoured vehicles), dismounted soldiers, and eventually Tigre (Tiger) Mk3 attack helicopters.

The DGA awarded Nexter a mid-life upgrade contract for 50 Leclerc tanks (pictured in the foreground at Eurosatory 2022) on 29 December 2022. (Nexter)

The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA), the French defence procurement agency, ordered 50 upgraded Leclerc main battle tanks on 29 December 2022, the company announced in a press release on 12 January.

The first prototype of the upgraded tank, designated Leclerc XLR, was delivered to the DGA at the end of 2022. Under a mid-life upgrade (MLU) contract awarded to Nexter in June 2021, the first 18 operational Leclerc XLRs will be delivered to the French Army in 2023.

The MLU's primary aim is to integrate the Leclerc into the Scorpion collaborative combat system by equipping it with the Scorpion Combat Information System (SICS) from Atos and the Contact radio from Thales, as well as installing vectronic systems common to Scorpion vehicles. SICS and the Contact radio will allow voice and data to be exchanged simultaneously among network subscribers, vehicles (including Griffon, Jaguar, and VBL armoured vehicles), dismounted soldiers, and eventually Tigre (Tiger) Mk3 attack helicopters.