The French army presented an upgraded Leclerc tank at the Eurosatory 2026 arms exhibition with a metal cage mounted above the turret to protect against attacking drones. The design reflects a wider military response to the drone threat, which has become more urgent in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. The article notes that such cages were once mocked when they first appeared on Russian tanks in 2022, but have since proved operationally useful, though only as a partial, passive defense that can still be defeated by attacks from the sides.
France’s prototype upper-armor system was developed by the army’s research unit, and serial production has already started at KNDS France. Brig. Gen. Olivier Kooka, the army’s technical development chief, said in a briefing in Paris that the systems are now being delivered steadily to armored brigades as part of the Scorpion modernization program.
The Leclerc XLR version includes, besides the cage, new computers, improved modular armor, a close-in defense system that creates smoke screens, protection against mines and explosive charges, electronic warfare systems, and a remotely operated weapon station for combat in built-up areas. The tank carries a 120 mm gun with an automatic loader and is operated by a three-person crew.
France is also preparing for the post-Leclerc era, with the current tank expected to leave service around 2035. Army commander Gen. Philippe de Montenon said, “We already have several ideas, and we know very well that it will not be an exact copy of the Leclerc tank. Drones will operate alongside it, and we know there will also be a robotic component.” A joint Franco-German future program, due to enter service in 2045, is expected to include artificial intelligence and extensive networked systems.
