Tank fire rate and Leclerc Armor question

HowardHenderson

New Member
Hello Everyone,

I am new here! I have a few questions. Does anybody know the effective fire rate for the Leopard 2a4/5/6 , Abrams m1a2 , and challenger 2 tanks? I fso, please tell me. What is the effective armor strength of the Leclerc tank on the turret and hull front?

And by the way, according to Marc Chassillan's book "Char Leclerc - de la guerre aux conflits demain" (pretty good book, but is in french) the Leclerc autoloader can fire 6 rounds on the move and 10 rounds if the tank is stationary.

Some more Leclerc (Mk2) Tank Info:

Crew size: 3 (commander, gunner, driver)

Mobility:
Max speed (governed - on a highway): 72 km/h
Max reverse speed: 38 km/h
Acceleration from 0 to 32 km/h: 5.5 - 6 seconds
Traveling range: 470 km and 610 km with two 200 liter fuel drums
Fuel capacity without fuel drums: 1300 liter
Vertical climb : 1.1 m
Trench: 3 m
Gradient: 60 %
Side slope: 30 %
Fording with preparation 2.3 m
Deep fording with snorkels: 4 m

Dimensions:
Length overall (main gun in forward position): 9.87 m
Length overall (main gun in backward position): 9.00 m
Hull length : 6.88 (7.03) m
Hull length with external fuel drums: 7.63 (7.74) m
Width overall: 3.71 m
Width (without side skirts): 3.43 m
width (from left to right track): 3.31 m
Height to top of the periscope: 2.92 m
Height to top of the turret top: 2.53 m
Hull height (max): 1.74 m
Ground clearance: 0.50 m
Length of tracks on the ground: 4.32 m
Ground pressure: 90 kPa
Track Width: 635 mm

Weights:
Total combat weight: 56 (57) metric tons
Turret Weight: 18 metric tons


Main gun assembly:

120mm 120-26F1 L52 main gun
Barrel Length: 6.24 m
Recoil Length: 0.40 m
Breech block: Vertical
Vertical gun movement: - 7 to + 18 degrees

Secondary Arnament:

Coaxial: 12.7 mm
Type: TTI
Fire rate: 600 rounds per minute
Muzzle Velocity: 800 m/s
Ammunition: 800 rounds

Turret motor: 40 kW motor that gives the turret the ability to turn at 40 degrees a second.

Engine: V8X
Type: 4 stroke 8 cylinder (at 90 degrees) Diesel engine
Power: 1500 hp at 2500 revolutions
Piston displacement: 16.47 liters
Compression ratio : 7.8 / 1
Supercharge ratio: 7.5
Maximum torque: 4500 Nm at 2000 revolutions
Cooling: Liquid XS 790

Transmission: ESM 500
Type: automatic transmission
Forward Gears: 5
Reverse Gears: 2

Internal Fire Protection: Halon based fire suppression system triggered by infrared fire detectors.

Driver:
Vision slits: 3
Field of vision: 170 degrees(includes a night vision intensifier in the center periscope of type OB60)

Gunner: Integrated Gun Sight Assembly
Magnification: 3.3X a 17.5 degrees of field of view to 10(14)X at 5.5 degrees field of view.
Vision slits: 3 - with a field of view of 130 degrees.
Laser Range Finder
Type:Yag-Neodine - 1.06 um at 8000 meters.
Precision: +/- 5 m

Commander: Panoramic Periscope
vision slits: 7 - with a field of view of 235 degrees.
Magnification: 2.5X a 20 degrees of field of view to 10X at 5 degrees of field of view.

Active Defense:
Type: Galix
4 smoke rounds and 3 anti-personal rounds per turret side.

Armor Protection?
 

eckherl

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Hello Everyone,

I am new here! I have a few questions. Does anybody know the effective fire rate for the Leopard 2a4/5/6 , Abrams m1a2 , and challenger 2 tanks? I fso, please tell me. What is the effective armor strength of the Leclerc tank on the turret and hull front?

And by the way, according to Marc Chassillan's book "Char Leclerc - de la guerre aux conflits demain" (pretty good book, but is in french) the Leclerc autoloader can fire 6 rounds on the move and 10 rounds if the tank is stationary.

Some more Leclerc (Mk2) Tank Info:

Crew size: 3 (commander, gunner, driver)

Mobility:
Max speed (governed - on a highway): 72 km/h
Max reverse speed: 38 km/h
Acceleration from 0 to 32 km/h: 5.5 - 6 seconds
Traveling range: 470 km and 610 km with two 200 liter fuel drums
Fuel capacity without fuel drums: 1300 liter
Vertical climb : 1.1 m
Trench: 3 m
Gradient: 60 %
Side slope: 30 %
Fording with preparation 2.3 m
Deep fording with snorkels: 4 m

Dimensions:
Length overall (main gun in forward position): 9.87 m
Length overall (main gun in backward position): 9.00 m
Hull length : 6.88 (7.03) m
Hull length with external fuel drums: 7.63 (7.74) m
Width overall: 3.71 m
Width (without side skirts): 3.43 m
width (from left to right track): 3.31 m
Height to top of the periscope: 2.92 m
Height to top of the turret top: 2.53 m
Hull height (max): 1.74 m
Ground clearance: 0.50 m
Length of tracks on the ground: 4.32 m
Ground pressure: 90 kPa
Track Width: 635 mm

Weights:
Total combat weight: 56 (57) metric tons
Turret Weight: 18 metric tons


Main gun assembly:

120mm 120-26F1 L52 main gun
Barrel Length: 6.24 m
Recoil Length: 0.40 m
Breech block: Vertical
Vertical gun movement: - 7 to + 18 degrees

Secondary Arnament:

Coaxial: 12.7 mm
Type: TTI
Fire rate: 600 rounds per minute
Muzzle Velocity: 800 m/s
Ammunition: 800 rounds

Turret motor: 40 kW motor that gives the turret the ability to turn at 40 degrees a second.

Engine: V8X
Type: 4 stroke 8 cylinder (at 90 degrees) Diesel engine
Power: 1500 hp at 2500 revolutions
Piston displacement: 16.47 liters
Compression ratio : 7.8 / 1
Supercharge ratio: 7.5
Maximum torque: 4500 Nm at 2000 revolutions
Cooling: Liquid XS 790

Transmission: ESM 500
Type: automatic transmission
Forward Gears: 5
Reverse Gears: 2

Internal Fire Protection: Halon based fire suppression system triggered by infrared fire detectors.

Driver:
Vision slits: 3
Field of vision: 170 degrees(includes a night vision intensifier in the center periscope of type OB60)

Gunner: Integrated Gun Sight Assembly
Magnification: 3.3X a 17.5 degrees of field of view to 10(14)X at 5.5 degrees field of view.
Vision slits: 3 - with a field of view of 130 degrees.
Laser Range Finder
Type:Yag-Neodine - 1.06 um at 8000 meters.
Precision: +/- 5 m

Commander: Panoramic Periscope
vision slits: 7 - with a field of view of 235 degrees.
Magnification: 2.5X a 20 degrees of field of view to 10X at 5 degrees of field of view.

Active Defense:
Type: Galix
4 smoke rounds and 3 anti-personal rounds per turret side.

Armor Protection?
M1 series, Leo2 A5/6 and Challie are just as quick as Leclerc, and we use human loaders. As far as armor protection goes, well that is classified, but I can say that it is a modular designed armor package that you can adjust to, depending on mission. did the book tell you that the Leclerc is the next best thing out there besides Skippy peanut butter and white bread. I think that the Leclerc is over rated.:D
 

Waylander

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
But the people I know who were able to drive it ment that it is really fun to drive this driving baguette. Sportscar. :D
At least something.

And I like the look. :)
 

eckherl

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
But the people I know who were able to drive it ment that it is really fun to drive this driving baguette. Sportscar. :D
At least something.

And I like the look. :)
Is it a hot rod, surely the LEO has a better suspension.:)
 

willb

New Member
not sure how accurate the information on this site is, but it does list armor values for the various tanks
http://collinsj.tripod.com/protect.htm

as for rate of fire - the us standard was one round every 5 seconds or 12 rounds per minute (tank war - central front by steven j zaloga, osprey elite series #26 page 53). however, the same book also states that at the cat 85 competition the fastest average engagement rate was 6.2 seconds for an m1 platoon and the combined m1 average was 10.2 seconds (page 51)

this site http://www.deagel.com/Main-Battle-Tanks.htm
has some comparison data
maximum cross country speed is more important than the maximum road speed.
 
Last edited:

Waylander

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
I would take 6 seconds as a good time for a experienced loader during corss country ride.

And everybody I talked to who has been able to drive a Leclerc loces the transimission, track system and suspension.

But it is french so I need to say something bad about it. ;) :D
 

eckherl

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
I would take 6 seconds as a good time for a experienced loader during corss country ride.

And everybody I talked to who has been able to drive a Leclerc loces the transimission, track system and suspension.

But it is french so I need to say something bad about it. ;) :D
Have you been inside one, I am wondering how cramped the turret is with the auto loader.
 

Waylander

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
No I just talked to comrades driving it for fun during exchange programmes and events.
I do not know nobody who uses this tank druing NATO exercises.

So my opinion is just about drivung capabilities. :)
 

Manfred

New Member
Did anyone have a look at the link Willb posted?

THere are some pop-ups there, so dont bother if you don't like that.

It looks a little off to me; and I know for a fact that a Bradley does not have 120mm thick armor!
 

eckherl

The Bunker Group
Verified Defense Pro
Did anyone have a look at the link Willb posted?

THere are some pop-ups there, so dont bother if you don't like that.

It looks a little off to me; and I know for a fact that a Bradley does not have 120mm thick armor!
Yes - I have seen it before on another site, a little amusing isn`t it, this same site has a bunch of prema donna tankers who think that a M829A1 will not penetrate a Russian T-72.:eek:nfloorl:
 

rattmuff

Lurk-loader?
I would take 6 seconds as a good time for a experienced loader during corss country ride.

And everybody I talked to who has been able to drive a Leclerc loces the transimission, track system and suspension.

But it is french so I need to say something bad about it. ;) :D
I have heard of conscript loaders in the strv 122 manage to load in 3.5 seconds.
 

Waylander

Defense Professional
Verified Defense Pro
During cross country speed?

If you are in a defense position your loader will have the next round already in his hands but during cross country this is not that easy.
 
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