France has awarded KNDS Ammo France a contract to supply several thousand Shard next-generation kinetic-energy rounds for the modernized Leclerc main battle tank fleet.
Under the reported 100-million-euro-plus ($119-million-plus) seven-year framework agreement, KNDS is expected to deliver the first batch of armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot ammunition by mid-2029.
According to Forces Operations Blog, the program will be executed in conjunction with Eurenco, a France-based specialist in energetic materials. Eurenco will supply the double-base propellant powder as well as the sabot skirts for the contract.
For Modernized Leclerc
Relying on sheer speed and material density to punch through modern composite armor, the Shard is intended to give the modernized Leclerc XLR tank sufficient lethality to remain operationally relevant into the late 2030s, ahead of the introduction of a next-generation armored platform.
An upgrade over the current OFL F1 round, Shard incorporates a new tungsten penetrator technology that delivers a marked increase in terminal effectiveness, enabling it to defeat the latest generation of heavily armored main battle tanks.
The round is built around a dense proprietary alloy with an elongated penetrator optimized to withstand extreme mechanical stress during firing while maintaining excellent in-flight stability.
With its higher muzzle velocity, the round is designed to overwhelm hard-kill active protection systems by compressing interceptor reaction time and engagement windows, increasing the likelihood of a successful penetration against systems designed to shoot down incoming rounds.
Enhanced Features
According to KNDS, the Shard offers around 15 percent greater penetration than previous Western rounds, while also reducing barrel wear by roughly 25 percent.
Lower barrel erosion translates into more rounds fired before replacement, reduced maintenance costs, and improved tank availability during prolonged operations.
The ammunition can be fired from all NATO 120 mm smoothbore gun platforms, including those fitted to the Leclerc, Leopard 2, and Abrams tanks, providing a significant logistical advantage.
Weighing around 22 kilograms (48.5 pounds) and measuring just under one meter (3.28 feet) in length, the round achieves a muzzle velocity of about 1,720 meters (5,643 feet) per second and an effective range of up to 4,000 meters (13,123 feet).
