EMBT
French-German tank
The Enhanced Main Battle Tank (EMBT, also E-MBT) is a French-German technology demonstrator for an enhanced fourth-generation main battle tank (MBT) developed and manufactured by KNDS. It combines features of the Leclerc and the Leopard 2, the two MBTs made by the French and German parts of KNDS respectively.
The Enhanced Main Battle Tank was first showcased in 2022. It was preceded by the European Main Battle Tank, a prototype which was presented during the Eurosatory 2018. A new version of the EMBT was presented during the Eurosatory 2024.
Design and development
European Main Battle Tank
A first technology demonstrator known as EMBT or European Main Battle Tank was presented in 2018, combining a Leopard 2A7 hull with a Leclerc turret using a special turret ring adapter. It was sometimes nicknamed Leo-Clerc and was designed to symbolize the cooperation of Nexter (the later KNDS France) and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (the later KNDS Deutschland), i.e. the two companies forming KNDS.
Compared to the Leopard 2 turret, the Leclerc turret is operated by only 2 crew members instead of 3 thanks to the autoloader. Since the Leclerc's turret is therefore lighter compared to the one of the manually loaded Leopard 2A7, the EMBT is lighter and has a greater growth potential of around 6 tonnes (5.9 long tons; 6.6 short tons).
As per KMW, full contract with a potential buyer was required to turn the European Main Battle Tank into a real product.
Enhanced Main Battle Tank
At Eurosatory 2022, a second technology demonstrator was presented as Enhanced Main Battle Tank, featuring a modified hull and a new turret fitted with the 120-millimeter CN120-26 main gun.
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