Easy (and cheap) for you to say.  Esp as French and German armor won't ever actually fight.  (Likewise that Swedish tank, who are they kidding?  They'll just sell to both sides, why would they need to fight?  They should make it out of cardboard and save money.)  So we have no combat users of French or German tanks to ask.  Gimme some surplus hulls of yours, I'll blow 'em up real good.

It is inescapable that your beasts have no record.  Maybe they're great.  We'll never know.  Like, sewer rat could taste like pumpkin pie, but I'll never know, because I'll never eat one.  Besides, from that other thread, the French tanks won't fight, with the best will, bravery, elan in the world, because you seem to be having a maintenance/readiness crisis.  I hope you, FS et Cie. pursue this with the same vigor as you display your patriotism here.

BTW I missed it, what is "NERA?"

Not really much to tell, just happened to share a maintenance facility with a few of them briefly.  A very impressive/intimidating piece of gear, but then all MBT's are up close!!!!  I can relate however that the boys from Lord Strathcomes Horese (I think) were absolutely exstatic to have them.  Even though they also spoke very highly of their Leopard 1's.

Really!!!! I guess I imagined those Canadian Leopard II's I saw ;) 

Yes I did know exactly what you meant, neither the Leopard or Leclerc have been involved in what would be considered a traditional MBT action, ie manoeuver warfare agains another heavy armour equipped foe.  But thats not what you said is it?  The Canadian Leopards are most definiteky in a Combat Environment where the potential exists for IED's and RPG varients to have a go at them.  Im pretty sure there are Leclercs in Lebanon so the potential exists for them to take a hit or two next time that area flairs up again aswell.

Yesterday , I was just browsing through some pictures I have . I did let mysef go and went well beyond the topic . I in fact trapped myself .
Now , I need to try to survive the co**-up , lol !

That is unlikely to happen since yoyhu don't even know what you are talking about.

So , I need to go where I need to to try to build a case (lol) , sorry .

I suggest you try to go out into the REAL WORLD.

The dead Abrams is indeed an IED , and an engine fire completed the kill . Some knew it .

Thank you for stating the obvious. The death was caused by the engine fire. See if you can tell me what the telltale was.

What surprised me is the "naked" feel , how vulnerable the Tank looks . It looks like a WW2 wreck : naked hull with a naked turret , and burned . I did not think about the crew first and just said "Sh*t , that 's bad" .

You didn't see  that the fighting compartment is intact and that the bustle didn''t cook off? Don't notice the important stuff  at all do you?

I did not post the pic to take advantage of a dead Abrams but to show what can happen when a Tank is not protected enough .
Sure a 250kg IED is a huge charge but a Leclerc or a Leopard would have survided that , most probably . Then the engine fire is another thing to think of : is a turbine engine more likely to catch fire ?

I answered that crap assertion two posts ago with FACTS. Frankly each time you post the less and less credible you become.

I mean , look at the Abrams 's skirts :

Meaningless. The critical  component is the BELLY  PLATE.  As stated, you don't pay attention to  the criticals.
h*tp://img356.imageshack.us/img356/5408/nmp1010176ay6.jpg

Image of a Lecluck-the repeat of the one I used to show the armor module scheme? Why?
They only did half of the job . The way they are is telling me that :
1) They most probably went inside the tracks during the explosion (1st and 2nd plates from the front) and helped to wreck the track .
2) The explosion occured at 2 third of the lengh of the Tank : so why the fire engine ?
Shock damage obviously if you bothered to LOOK at the Abram's road wheels and suspension. Haven't you ever been around explosives or know how internal combustion engines work after they been dropped? Turbines or diesels they fracture like eggs and the fuel catches fire Just how FOOLISH are you?
A Tank like this one with the Skirts with NERA and a better protected engine would have fared better (maybe) :
link... can 't see that on the Abrams or Challenger II .

Yeah that big honking fuel drum on the back and THIN belly plate would protect it against an RPG or an IED . Once again, how foolish are you?;
***************
A human eye can scan faster than a camera for moving things . That 's true .
Obvious.
When you 're a TC , you need as much infos as you can get right now . A good camera is on thing but when you can have a quick look around from the top turret , it waaay better . That 's also true .
Obvious.
But when the sh*t hits the fan and the TC (and the Loader) has to go down , a computer remote controled Machine-gun is the thing you need . Those 6 bastards on the nearby rooftop with AK-47 and RPG , they 'll better duck .
You've never actually handled a remote rig in you life for real have you?" You are trying to tell ME how to teleoperate or waldo?
ROTFLMFAOATDB.
The tank also have 2 more heavy weapons like the Gunner' s 12.7mm (!) on top of the main gun and the 2nd 7.62mm , both fitted where the Tank is facing :
h*tp://img525.imageshack.us/img525/4064/leclercimg1744vr8.jpg
Once more you produce the Lecluck? Are you confusing the bore sight optical for a machine gun? Or maybe the ranging machine gun?