To all these nice guys that never follow the small military events, NO, i dont found anymore link about this test because it was a small news that is now very difficult to found on the web, but also you need to followthe news on the web to learn not to look to these ing propaganda articles that so many people prefer to consider. I bring to you Facts/Nmbers/Desmonstrations and you just bring me your wonderfull french bashing.

It's pretty obvious that the selection processes of tanks don't normally just end up with seemingly the best tank being selected. In many cases, vice versa, the winner of trials hasn't been selected. First of all, when a certain nation seeks a vehicle, they make some rough decisions which tanks to take for tests, or should it be chosen without any trials. USSR and USA have supplied their allies MBT-class equipment with low prices or even given them for free. They have had a power to diminish the competition by offering good equipment with ridiculous prices for political support or stronger alignment(also other countries have practiced this though, but nowhere near to extent of these two). And many growing, once 3rd world nations, are only pleased if a big brother has such a great offers, particularly when they are short of money. After collapse of soviet union it has been also a big trend for eastern european nations to pretend and try to be western, industrialised nations like all the others (and that's just fine) and for this reason they have made also seemingly bad investments to western military equipment ignoring cheap and most suitable for them equipment just due to it's origin. Everywhere around the world we can find examples where military personnel preferred tanks or trials winners have been surpassed by indigenous industry product or by political pressure or will. And, still to add for all this, many nations have laws that prevent export of military products - that doesn't makes their own equipment a single bit worse. And then to another subjects that have caught my eye, about russian tanks. Q:Soviet tanks are unreliable or poorly made. As far as I'm familiar with them, no, that's not the case. The truth is, like said before, that some nations maybe tend to maintenance them poorly due to the pretty low basic maintenance level required. If they are kept like state-of-the art equipment, they work perfectly well, even better than western equipment (especially in very harsh weather conditions). Technical problems I have encountered were mainly breaks of parts (these are of course very unpleasant and affect greatly in performance or battle readiness) but throughout due to the fact that particular vehicles were old and worn out (just like western equipment comes after decade or two of use), as they were used for years and years. Still, in our practices with long duration, it was our UAZ jeeps that broke down first (they were pretty prone to electric failures), as the tanks kept going perfectly well. Q:Autoloaders are prone to mech failures or dangerous to operate No, also this is untrue. They are perfectly safe in normal use (of course you can injure yourself with your personal rifle too, but if you don't particularly try it, it's not very easy). They are not at all unreliable, especially if compared with many other vital parts of the tank. I've never seen a complete breakdown that requires workshop repairs i.e. any other than small field fixes. Battle damage delivered by enemy is dozens of times more propable reason to lead in jam or damage.

I love the fact that its allways the latest version of the Leclerc compaired to to a M1A1 or challenger 1 in some cases compare like with like latest with latest the leclerc actual started development before the challenger, however due to problem it took longer to enter service the latest challenger (2e) has most of the electronics so touted by the french, with the sights from the M1A2, the engine from the leopard and the latest bristish armour, that would bring it into any assesmemt of tanks. regarding gun stablisation and ability to fire on the move, this facility has been around for donkeys years (german ww2 tanks had a rudrementry version) so stop claimimg the leclerc is the first electrical stablisation/turrets are not new centrurian had electrical stabilised guns and the cheallenger has electric turret traverse. and please show me where it says the giat armour is superior to chabbam, evey artical i can find says chobbam is the best, and based on the fact that chobbam has been continuosly developed over the last 30 years whilst the giat was a last minute development when the expected supply of chobbam for the leclerc dried up would lead me to doubt its superiority

you did not reply to my questions and i note that you are afraid of saying that leclerc are not future because giat factory has almost close last year.because of no oders no custumers it is sad for that best tank in a free market.i remember you the europark engine the lecler uses is made by breatain or german.it is that kind of attitude of propagnada which leclerc in the world market.instead of trying to understand why that had no succes to export in other to find somes solutions, you you prefered to make that it is best one tank.but all your cries will not change the rules of competition in the free world market.i add that it is not question of hating any countries here but it is about talking and compare tanks with their combat experiences.if you have no arguments stop telling liars

be fair production has only been suspended, developemnt is still ongoing as is attempted sales. UAE the only customer for leclercs have alegidly reported semeral problem that giat have promised to fix 1 the auotload jams if operated at speed on rough terrain 2 the suspension is badly effected by sand 3 the fabled ability to hit moving target whilst moving is seriously degraded unless the target is running pararell to or at 90 degrees to the direction of travel

" I love the fact that its allways the latest version of the Leclerc compaired to to a M1A1 or challenger 1 in some cases " Who has done it, for my self i compare the Leclerc T8 with the lastest M1A2, ChII, LeoIIA6, Merkarva IV ... " however due to problem it took longer to enter service the latest challenger (2e) has most of the electronics so touted by the french, with the sights from the M1A2, the engine from the leopard and the latest bristish armour, that would bring it into any assesmemt of tanks. " ALl these components have their weakness and their advantages, for exemple the chobbam II give a good protection but the cost is hight in agility ( i can do the same coparison for the other stuff ) ... So this statement cant give us an ultimate conclusion. "regarding gun stablisation and ability to fire on the move, this facility has been around for donkeys years (german ww2 tanks had a rudrementry version) so stop claimimg the leclerc is the first electrical stablisation/turrets are not new centrurian had electrical stabilised guns and the cheallenger has electric turret traverse." Nothing to see with it, if you want, i can bring you many mechanical advantages of the leclerc in the main stabilization and the stabilization of the gun. " and please show me where it says the giat armour is superior to chabbam, evey artical i can find says chobbam is the best, and based on the fact that chobbam has been continuosly developed over the last 30 years whilst the giat was a last minute development when the expected supply of chobbam for the leclerc dried up would lead me to doubt its superiorit " My first question is, which articles ??? Before coming with a lot of links, select the ones that bring an interest and come from a good anylisys. Then from what i have seen on several web sites, the GIAT armor is showed to be a lot lighter than the Chobbam ( I ) one ofr a better protection ( how much i dont know ). Dont forget that the Chobbam I already existed and that GIAT based, until the last time, all the search to outclass what already existed ( the Chobbam II wasnt already in service ). And like has showed French stratege, because of its height, ... the Leclerc that weight 56 T would weight around 72 T as big as the M1A2 or the ChallII, and now adding the fact that its a lot lighter than with the Chobbam I, it would let us a tank of 80 T ( if the GIAT armor had the same weight than the Chobbam I ), that has a better armor than a Chobbam I. Im not trying to proove you that the Leclerc has the best protection or anything like this, but im trying to explain you that you must be carefull before saying that the Leclerc has got a weaker protection than an other tank.

" you did not reply to my questions and i note that you are afraid of saying that leclerc are not future because giat factory has almost close last year.because of no oders no custumers it is sad for that best tank in a free market.i remember you the europark engine the lecler uses is made by breatain or german.it is that kind of attitude of propagnada which leclerc in the world market.instead of trying to understand why that had no succes to export in other to find somes solutions, you you prefered to make that it is best one tank.but all your cries will not change the rules of competition in the free world market.i add that it is not question of hating any countries here but it is about talking and compare tanks with their combat experiences.if you have no arguments stop telling liar " Im sorry if you had to wait one day before i answer to you but my time is not reserved for your questions. If the most part of the GIAT factories have closed, its 1rst: GIAT dont need anymore such a number of factories since the french gov has decreased the command from 1400 to 400 Leclerc ( nothing to see with the future of the industry or anything matter with the stuff that GIAT build ) Then try to inform yourself before doing an attempt of bashing. THe SAUDIS Leclerc use a German engine, whereas the French Leclerc use a french one ( dont ask me why, if you compare the 2 tanks, you will see that the French Leclerc are a little better than the SAUDIS ones because of their engine ). A little question, which propaganda are you talking about, i never see any report on the web from the frenhc gov or GIAT that try to show that the Leclerc is the best, whereas its not the case for the LeoII, the M1A2, or the Challenger II. About export, i think that a tank finished since less than 5 years, it is a good result a command of 390 Leclerc to one other country ( without political pressure ). So i prefer to wait the future before doing comments. And also for your information, the Leclerc s the tank that has had the most changes. Look we are at the T9 and there are the T 12 and the T11 in preparation. Now i am not lying like you are accusing me but answering to your question, stay cool plz and whereas posting comments based on your lack of knownledge, try to post interessants facts!

The first problem has been resolved recently, than for the 3 other, where do they come from ??

French Companies Increase Activities in Military Ground-Vehicle Protection Journal of Electronic Defense JULY 2000 : Features New self-protection rounds for ground vehicles will be demonstrated this month in Greece, where they may find their way onto that country's MBT's. (Etienne Lacroix photo) Etienne Lacroix and Thomson-CSF Detexis recently announced new initiatives for protecting tanks and other military ground-vehicles against radar-, optical- or infrared-targeted weapons on the battlefield. A diverse family of expendable self-protection rounds from Lacroix is designed for a range of functions from screening a vehicle in the visual and IR/laser domains, to providing a more attractive IR target decoy, to providing non-lethal riot-control measures with stun munitions or irritant gasses. Included in the 80mm family of Galix mortar-deployed rounds and launchers is a rocket-deployed parachute flare for illumination and biodegradable, low-toxicity practice rounds used for training exercises. Of particular interest is the fact that firing residue is retained within the disposable munitions cases and, thus, does not degrade launch tube performance for subsequent firings from the same tube. Lacroix will be demonstrating the system this month in Greece, where interest has been expressed in an application on that country's main battle tanks (MBTs). According to Lacroix officials, systems have already been provided to the United Arab Emirates, the Kuwaiti National Guard, Sweden, Italy, the Czech Republic and, of course, France. Protected platforms include such tanks as the French Leclerc , the Russian T-72, the German Leopard 2, the Swedish CV-90, the Austrian/US Pandur and the Italian C-1 Ariete. A typical installation for the Leclerc would consist of 8 forward-firing launch tubes loaded with Galix 13 multi-band visual/IR/laser screening smoke and 6 rearward-firing tubes with Galix 4 (tear gas) and/or Galix 19 (stun grenade) anti-personnel devices. The screening round becomes effective less than two seconds after launch and provides protection for over 30 seconds in wind conditions of 4 m/sec. A recently introduced advanced control unit for the system allows for automatic dispensing of the rounds with activation from external threat-warning or sensing devices. In a related area, an ambitious vehicle protection system dubbed EW Protector has been under development for about three years as a cooperative effort between Giat, Matra, Sagem, Thomson Optronics and Thomson-CSF Detexis. Designed to protect MBTs and armored fighting vehicles, the eventual configuration would integrate laser, missile and radar warning with thermal-imaging and optical-sighting sensors with IR, laser and millimeterwave jamming, and smoke/flare dispensing countermeasures to defeat these threats. If the concept receives approval and funding from the French Army, it could become part of the Leclerc MBT midlife upgrade program and be installed on the ten-ton class of armored troop transports as well. Initial tests of a portion of the EW Protector were tested last March by DGA, the French procurement agency for their military services. --H. Gershanoff *

Best tanks in short are the Leopard and the T90 (these two countries showed the world that they know how to build tanks and how to use the also), the rest are good in their own locals. Leopard has excellent navigational and aiming tools and T90 is just A SMART tank. It is light well protected and CHeaP, when thereor is war, i mean real war, not "made for" TV special War on Iraq, any one of you would appreciate the price difference of mass producing a T90 and a Leclerc(the most expensive of all modern tanks). P.S. People I understand how some people may place a Challanger tank over a t90, or a Merkava (which really takes good care ofits passangers a big plus) but to say that a japaneese type 90 is better then a t90 or t80 I MEAN COMMON. In what world are you living in? Do you have ANY idea about tanks or you just put them in order of the country most dearest to your heart. Russians use their tanks right now as I type this to fight the Chechens who in their turn the best anti tank weapons leaked out of factories, what do Japaneese their tank for, killing Godzilla, I mean common. Merkava is fighting now, so does the leo M1a2 and the Challanger.