Profile
- Type
- Third-generation main battle tank
- Conflict side
- Yemeni government and coalition forces
- Origin
- France
- Service note
- Entered French service in the early 1990s; UAE Leclerc tanks were used in Yemen from 2015.
Tanks
Leclerc tank
The Leclerc is a French third-generation main battle tank built around a 120 mm smoothbore gun, autoloader, three-person crew, and high power-to-weight mobility. In the Yemen Civil War, UAE-operated Leclercs gave coalition forces heavy protected direct fire during armored pushes around Aden, Al Anad, and later western-coast operations.
- Conflict side
- Yemeni government and coalition forces
- Built by
- GIAT IndustriesNexterKNDS France
- Built in
- France
Service History
- In service
- 1990s-present
- Used by
- French Army, United Arab Emirates Army, Royal Jordanian Army
- Wars
- Yemen Civil War
Production History
- Designer
- GIAT Industries
- Designed
- 1980s
- Built by
- GIAT IndustriesNexterKNDS France
- Built in
- France
- Produced
- 1990-2008
- Number built
- About 860 production vehicles, including French and UAE batches
- Variants
- Leclerc Series 2, Leclerc Series XXI, Tropicalized Leclerc, Leclerc AZUR, Leclerc XLR
Specifications
- Crew
- 3: commander, gunner, and driver
- Main armament
- 120 mm CN120-26 smoothbore gun with autoloader
- Secondary armament
- 12.7 mm coaxial machine gun and 7.62 mm machine gun
- Combat weight
- Roughly 56-60 ton class, depending on variant and armor fit
- Engine
- 1,500 hp diesel powerpack; UAE tropicalized tanks use an MTU engine and Renk transmission
- Maximum road speed
- About 70-71 km/h
- Protection
- Modular composite armor; UAE AZUR kits add side, rear, and RPG-focused urban-protection elements
Conflict Usage
- Yemen Civil War
- Side: Yemeni government and coalition forcesRole: Coalition armored assault and direct-fire support
United Arab Emirates Leclerc main battle tanks were landed at Aden in August 2015 and later documented in coalition armored operations, including the Al Anad and western-coast campaigns; reporting also notes AZUR-equipped vehicles among the UAE deployment.
Leclerc tank Images
Related Weapon Systems
M60A1 PattonSecond-generation main battle tankThe M60A1 Patton is a U.S.-origin main battle tank with a 105 mm gun, four-person crew, and improved turret protection over the original M60. Yemen's pre-war army inventory included M60A1s, so surviving vehicles formed part of the legacy armored force available as the Yemen Civil War split state units and front lines.
Merkava Mk 3 main battle tankMain battle tankThe Merkava Mk 3 is Israel's late-Cold War main battle tank, built around a 120 mm smoothbore gun, modular protection, and a front-engine layout. In the Israel-Hamas War, the IDF linked the Mk 3-equipped 188th Brigade to Gaza operations, keeping the older Merkava variant in active conflict use.
Merkava Mk 4 main battle tankMain battle tankThe Merkava Mk 4 Barak is Israel's latest digital upgrade to the front-engine Merkava Mk 4 main battle tank, adding a smart mission computer, updated sensors, and VR-based crew training for the IDF's armored corps. In the Israel-Hamas War, IDF-released Barak imagery from Gaza documents the variant's wartime use and the program's later production expansion.
T-90SA tankExport main battle tankThe T-90SA tank entry covers the export T-90S family as fielded by Azerbaijan in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict. Conflict-loss documentation identifies Azerbaijani T-90S tanks rather than proving a unique subvariant label, so this record uses T-90SA conservatively as the requested export-family designation while grounding the conflict claim in T-90S evidence.
AML-90 armored carShort equipment typeThe AML-90 is a French Panhard 4x4 armored car armed with a 90 mm gun, with documented Yemeni Army service before the Yemen Civil War.BTR-152Short equipment typeThe BTR-152 is a Soviet six-wheeled armored personnel carrier, represented here for documented Yemen Civil War use as an improvised Houthi gun carrier.Sources
Nexter awarded new order for renovated Leclerc tanksPublisher: KNDS | Note: Supports manufacturer background, the 60-ton class description, three-person crew, and 120 mm smoothbore armament. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Leclerc Main Battle TankPublisher: Army Technology | Note: Supports Leclerc specifications, propulsion, armament, production background, and operator context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Saudi-led Coalition Deploys 3,000 Troops in Yemen, Sources SayPublisher: Defense News | Note: Supports Yemen Civil War direct use: United Arab Emirates Leclerc main battle tanks were fielded by coalition forces and offloaded at Aden in August 2015. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Yemen PapersPublisher: Disclose | Note: Supports Yemen Civil War direct use: UAE Leclerc tanks were used by the coalition in Yemen, including reported combat activity in 2015 and 2018 western-coast operations. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Logbook, Part I: The UAE's BMP-3 IFV in YemenPublisher: Bellingcat | Note: Supports Yemen Civil War direct use: Leclerc main battle tanks were fielded by UAE forces operating in Yemen and observed in the Al Anad campaign. | Accessed: 2026-06-20United Arab Emirates to donate 80 French-made Leclerc MBTs to JordanPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports Yemen Civil War direct use: UAE Leclerc tanks were deployed by the Saudi-led coalition near Aden, including AZUR-equipped vehicles; also supports UAE operator and AZUR context. | Accessed: 2026-06-20French Leclerc main battle tank during Strong Europe Tank Challenge exercise, 2017Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for the primary gallery image; U.S. Army photo marked public domain. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Leclerc p1040879Publisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a Leclerc main battle tank photographed at the 2006 Bastille Day parade under free licenses. | Accessed: 2026-06-20Leclerc tank firing, Cincu training campPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a Leclerc firing image licensed under the French Licence Ouverte 2.0. | Accessed: 2026-06-20LeclercDurocPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance for a Leclerc prototype at the Saumur tank museum released to the public domain by the photographer. | Accessed: 2026-06-20