GIAT Industries Leclerc, France

1500 metres. A modem state-of-the-art NBC system is also carried.

The combat support tank derivatives announced to-date on the Leclerc chassis are an ARV, which GIAT Industries is developing as a private venture with Hagglund Vehicles of Sweden, a private venture combat engineer vehicle and a private venture armoured bridge layer. Of these only the ARV is a firm venture

The total French Army requirement is for 420 Leclercs . The remainder of the 800 plus production Leclercs is taken up by the UAE (Abu Dhabi) order placed in early 1993 for 390 Leclercs. The MET will differ from the standard French army model in being fitted with a German powerpack comprising an MTU MT-883 V-12 1500 hp diesel engine with a HSWL 295 automatic transmission, The UAE order also included 46 Leclerc ARVs and a comprehensive training (that included the provision of numerous simulators) and technical assistance packages to provide support for the Leclerc fleet. Deliveries are being made in parallel with the production of the French Army vehicles,

Specification:

First prototype: 1989 First production: 1991-current (expected 800 plus to be built) Current users: France (420 tanks to be ordered in total) and UAE (Abu Dhabi 390 tanks being delivered)

Crew: 3

Combat weight: 54 500 kg Ground pressure: 0.9 kg/cm2

Length, gun forwards: 9.87 m Width (withskirts): 3.71 m

Height (without AA gun): 2.5m Ground clearance: 0.5m Max. road speed: 73 km/h

Maximum range (with external fuel

tanks): 650 km Fording: unprepared 1 m; prepared 4 m Gradient: 60% Side slope: 30% Vertical obstacle: 1.3m

Trench: 3 m

Powerpack: SACEM UD V8X 1500 T9 Hyperbar 8-cylinder diesel developing 1500 hp coupled to an SESM ESM 500 automatic transmission Armament: (main) 1 x 120 mm gun (40 rounds); (coaxial) 1 x 12.7 mmMG; (anti-aircraft) 1 x 7.62 mmMG; (smoke dischargers) 2 x9

GIAT AMX-30/AMX-30 B2

France

The GIAT AMX-30 series is currently the French Army's main MET and will remain in service until it is superseded by the Leclerc. A number of versions have been produced over the life time of the vehicle, these are: AMX-30 - the standard production model with a 105 mm GIAT Industries CN-105-F1 rifled tank gun firing APFSDS, HEAT, HE smoke and illuminating rounds of French and standard NATO M68/L7 patterns. The gunner has a coincidence rangefinder gun fire control system. The vehicle has a white/infra-red searchlight left of the main gun and infra-red night sights for the commander, gunner and driver. An NBC system is fitted as standard AMX-30S - optimised desert operation version of AMX-30 with downrated diesel to prevent overheating, side skirts and laser rangefinder unit for the vehicle commander. AMX-30 B2 - both a new production and retrofit kit for significant portion of French Army AMX-30 vehicles and the export market. The changes include anew drive train gearbox system, modified gun mantlet with increased armour protection, the fitting of a fully integrated day/night computerised fire control system with laser rangefinder and LLLTV units and a collective NBC system. AMX-30 ER1 - Spanish Army upgrade of 60 AMX-30E with new transmission and modified engine compartments. AMX-30 EM2 Spanish Army upgrade of 150 AMX-30E with new power pack, computerised fire control system and explosive reactive armour package.

The AMX-30 has also been the basis for a number of production combat support vehicles/weapon carriers, these include: the AMX-30D ARV, AMX-30 AVLB, AMX-30 EBG (equivalent to a GET), Pluton tactical nuclear battlefield support missile, Roland (for France, Iraq, Nigeria, Qatar and Spain) and Shahine (for Saudi Arabia) SAM missile systems, the 155 mm GCT selfpropelled howitzer (for France, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia) and the

AMX-30SA twin 30 mm self-propelled anti-aircraft gun tank (for Saudi Arabia).

The AMX-30 in its AMX-30S and AMX-30 B2 versions saw combat in the Gulf War with the French, Saudi Arabian and Qatari armies. The Qatari AMX-30S tanks being particularly effective in the retaking of Khafji when engaging Iraqi tanks.

Specification

First prototype: 1960 First production: France 1966-1994 (2248 gun tank versions built); Spain 1974-1983 (280 built) Current users: Chile (AMX-30), Cyprus (AMX-30 B2), UAE (AMX-30), Qatar (AMX-30S), Greece (AMX-30), France (AMX-30/AMX30 B2), Saudi Arabia (AMX-30S), Spain (AMX-30 ER1, AMX-30 EM2), Venezuela (AMX-30).

Crew: 4

Combat weight: AMX-30 36 000 kg; AMX-30 B2 37 000 kg Ground pressure: AMX-30 0.77 kg/cm2 ; AMX-30 B2 0.85 kg/cm2

Length, gun forwards: 9.48 m Width: 3.1m Height (without AA gun): 2.29 m Ground clearance: 0.44 m

Max. road speed: AMX-30/AMX-30 B2 65 km/h; AMX-30S 60 km/h

French ArmyAMX-30B2 fitted with DX175 Tactical Engagement Simulator.

Maximum range: AMX-30/AMX-30S 500 km; AMX-30 B2 400 km Fording: unprepared 1.3 m; Gradient: 60%

Side slope: 30% Vertical obstacle: 0.93 m

Trench: 2.9m Powerpack: AMX-30 - Hispano-Suiza HS110 multi-fuel V-12 liquid-cooled diesel developing 720 hp and coupled to a manual transmission; AMX-30S - as AMX30 but diesel downrated to 600 hp for desert operations; AMX-30 B2 - as AMX-30 but HS-110-2 model diesel developing 700 hp Armament: (main) 1 x 105 mm gun (47 rounds); (coaxial) 1 x 20 mm cannon or 12.7 mm or 7.62 mm MG; (anti-aircraft) 1 x 12.7 mm or 7.62 mmMG; (smoke dischargers) 2 x 2 or 2 x 4