France is fielding a roof-mounted cage armor kit on the upgraded Leclerc XLR to mitigate top-attack drone/FPV threats. While similar “cope cages” are already common in Ukraine, this is a notable adoption by a NATO MBT fleet and indicates institutionalization of drone-driven armor protection changes.
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armorside: natofirst seen 2022-03-01
French Leclerc XLR fitted with roof anti-drone cage armor
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- Defense News · https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/06/15/french-army-shows-leclerc-tank-with-once-mocked-anti-drone-cage/French army shows Leclerc tank with once-mocked anti-drone cage