United Arab Emirates Leclerc main battle tanks were landed at Aden in August 2015 and later documented in coalition armored operations during the 2014 Yemen Civil War, including the Al Anad and western-coast campaigns; reporting also notes AZUR-equipped vehicles among the UAE deployment.
Role detailsTanks
Leclerc tank
Also known as
- AMX-56 Leclerc
- Char Leclerc
- Leclerc MBT
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 2014 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.
Role in Conflicts
Profile / Specs
Profile
- Origin
- France
- Built by
- GIAT IndustriesNexterKNDS France
- Type
- Third-generation main battle tank
- Service note
- Entered French service in the early 1990s; UAE Leclerc tanks were used in Yemen from 2015.
- Designer
- GIAT Industries
- Designed
- 1980s
- Produced
- 1990-2008
- Number built
- About 860 production vehicles, including French and UAE batches
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
Design And Upgrade Notes
The Leclerc combines an autoloaded 120 mm gun, a three-person crew, and a relatively compact tracked chassis. The export and modernization branches matter because the UAE combat record in Yemen involved tropicalized and AZUR-equipped vehicles, while France's XLR program keeps domestic tanks in service through SCORPION-network upgrades.
| Area | Operational significance | Source support |
|---|---|---|
| Autoloaded firepower | The 120 mm gun and autoloader allow a three-person crew while preserving a tank-gun role against fixed or moving targets. | French Army Char Leclerc; DGA orders 100 renovated Leclerc XLR tanks |
| UAE export branch | Tropicalized UAE tanks used a different engine and transmission package, and AZUR-equipped examples were reported in the Yemen deployment. | Leclerc Main Battle Tank; United Arab Emirates to donate 80 French-made Leclerc MBTs to Jordan |
| XLR renovation | The French renovation adds SCORPION information links, CONTACT radio, extra protection, a remotely operated weapon station, and later digital sights. | DGA orders 100 renovated Leclerc XLR tanks; KNDS Leclerc XLR |
Variants
Leclerc designations separate French production and renovation standards from export and urban-protection configurations.
| Variant | Configuration | Designation notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leclerc Series 2 | French production standard | A later French production series that added reliability and electronics changes over early batches. Sources: Leclerc Main Battle Tank |
| Leclerc Series XXI | French late-production standard | A French service standard associated with improved protection and observation equipment before the later XLR renovation. Sources: Leclerc Main Battle Tank, DGA orders 100 renovated Leclerc XLR tanks |
| Tropicalized Leclerc | United Arab Emirates export configuration | The UAE configuration used a different powerpack arrangement for hot-weather service and forms the export branch documented in Yemen. Sources: Leclerc Main Battle Tank, United Arab Emirates to donate 80 French-made Leclerc MBTs to Jordan |
| Leclerc AZUR | Urban-protection kit | AZUR-equipped UAE tanks were reported among the Saudi-led coalition Leclerc force in Yemen, adding side and rear protection for urban-threat conditions. Sources: United Arab Emirates to donate 80 French-made Leclerc MBTs to Jordan |
| Leclerc XLR | French renovation standard | The XLR renovation integrates the Leclerc into the SCORPION environment with SICS, CONTACT radio, added protection kits, a remotely operated weapon station, and later digital sights. Sources: DGA orders 100 renovated Leclerc XLR tanks, KNDS Leclerc XLR |
Timeline
Leclerc tank Key Events
UAE Leclercs land at Aden
Defense News reporting described UAE Leclerc tanks arriving with coalition forces at Aden during the 2014 Yemen Civil War.
French XLR renovation order expanded
The DGA ordered renovation of another 100 Leclerc XLR tanks, bringing ordered renovated tanks to 200.
34th XLR delivered
The DGA reported delivery of the 34th renovated Leclerc XLR to the French Army, including 21 delivered during 2024.
Media
Leclerc tank Videos
Related Weapon Systems
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: 2026-06-20French Army Char LeclercPublisher: French Ministry of the Armed Forces | Note: Supports official French Army Leclerc specifications, service context, crew, armament, weight class, mobility, and onboard information-system context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29DGA orders 100 renovated Leclerc XLR tanksPublisher: French Ministry of the Armed Forces | Note: Supports Leclerc XLR renovation timeline, ordered renovated quantities, SCORPION/SICS/CONTACT integration, added protection, remote weapon station, and 1993 service-entry context. | Accessed: 2026-06-29KNDS Leclerc XLRPublisher: KNDS | Note: Supports manufacturer product background for the Leclerc XLR modernization branch. | Accessed: 2026-06-29Saudi-led Coalition Deploys 3,000 Troops in Yemen, Sources SayPublisher: Defense News | Note: Supports 2014 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: 2026-06-20The Saudi-UAE War Effort in Yemen (Part 1): Operation Golden Arrow in AdenPublisher: The Washington Institute for Near East Policy | Note: Supports 2014 Yemen Civil War direct use: UAE Leclerc main battle tanks were fielded by a UAE armored/mechanized brigade task force that landed at Aden in August 2015. | Accessed: 2026-06-22Yemen PapersPublisher: Disclose | Note: Supports 2014 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 2014 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 2014 Yemen Civil War direct use: UAE Leclerc tanks were fielded 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