French defence procurement agency (DGA) signed on 5 March 2015 a contract with Nexter Systems to upgrade its 200 Leclerc main battle tanks (MBTs).

Worth EUR330 million (USD350 million), the contract also includes the modernisation of 18 Leclerc chassis-based DCL (Dépanneur de Char Leclerc) heavy recovery vehicles. The modernised fleet will be re-delivered from 2020.

The modernisation project is intended to extend the vehicle's service life beyond 2040, and improve the tank's ability to meet current operational scenarios, including asymmetric warfare environments.

The modernisation of the Leclerc MBTs forms part of the army's Synergie du COntact Renforcé par la Polyvalence et l'InfovalorisatiON (SCORPION) programme, with the vehicles to be designated Leclerc R (Rénové) and DCL R.

Upgrade include:

• the development and installation of new armour kits to improve the MBTs protection from new threats, such as improvised explosive devices (IEDs)

• the integration of the vehicles into the SICS (Système d'Information et de Commandement SCORPION) digitised information system being developed by Bull and Thales

• the installation of a new tactical digital radio system being developed by Thales as part of CONTACT (COmmunications Numériques TACtiques et de ThéâtrE) programme, awarded by the DGA in 2012