WilyB wrote:

Tanks are like aircraft carriers: a relic of the past. These days, ragheads have surveillance satellites and advanced anti-tank missiles.

I heard this in the 1960's, too. It wasn't true then and isn't now.

And by the way, it is “Leclerc”.

LeClerc, Leclerc, LeCar, LeClunker...I could care less how its spelled. I merely used the same spelling as used in the original article. Unlike some posters on FF, I don't routinely make stuff up, nor "edit" it to spin towards my bias. In addition, I also provide links to an/the original source.

Anyway, I don't blame anyone for not buying a French tank. Hell, even Saudi Arabia won't buy them. I would not be surprised if Italy gets the French market share in tanks, since theirs have actually seen combat.

EDIT:

Apparently the French have learned something about the use of the MBT in the 21st Century (unlike some posters). from 2006:

The French Army, like an increasing number of armies around the world, is more likely in the future to become involved in urban warfare rather than in full-scale high-intensity conventional military operations.

It is against this background that Giat Industries completed in late May, as a private venture, the prototype of a Leclerc tank optimised for urban operations under the name of AZUR (Action en Zone URbaine).

Over the frontal arc Leclerc has adequate protection against most of the threat weapons likely to be encountered during urban operations.

In urban operations attacks are likely to come from the sides or rear, and for this reason the original Leclerc side skirts have been replaced by new skirts of passive armour with a higher level of protection that extends two-thirds of the way along the chassis.

Over the remainder of the chassis and through the hull rear is a new package of bar armour that has been designed to neutralise the warheads of incoming weapons such as rocket-propelled grenades. There is also additional roof protection armour, as well as protection over the rear engine decks against petrol bombs.

To provide close-in protection, a roof-mounted machine gun is fitted, which is aimed and fired from under armour. In addition, the vehicle has a new communications system and two resupply containers at the rear.

The 120mm smooth bore gun is retained and in addition to firing standard natures of 120mm ammunition, it can also fire the recently developed Giat Industries high explosive round, of which 10,000 have been ordered by the French Army.Production of the Leclerc for the United Arab Emirates has been completed and the final batch of vehicles for the French Army is now on the line at Roanne, with production to be completed by the end of this year.

www.janes.com . . .

Maybe theres hope for the Frogs, after all.