Leclerc tanks in Romania: why the operation turned into an imbroglio with Germany


William Molinie
modified to

3:13 p.m., November 09, 2022

A few weeks ago, France announced that it was positioning Leclerc tanks in Romania, on the borders of NATO and especially Ukraine. But the transport of the Leclercs on French tank carriers turned into a political imbroglio with Germany, which refused to allow the convoy to cross the country. A difficulty that questions the capacity of French tank carriers.

While the war in Ukraine began almost eight months ago, the French Army remains very mobilized on NATO’s borders. A dozen Leclerc tanks also left for Romania. Europe 1 made you live the final preparations for this great trip a few weeks ago. A convoy which was to demonstrate France’s ability to deploy quickly. But the operation turned into a political imbroglio with Germany.

The tank carriers are expected to arrive in Romania at the end of the month

In question, Berlin’s refusal to let French tank carriers roll across the country. According to the German version, the tricolor convoy was too heavy. The maximum load across the Rhine is twelve tonnes per axle, we confirm at the German Embassy in Paris. Load exceeded by French tank carriers which do not have enough axles to properly distribute the total mass.

The dozen Leclercs were to leave on October 21. But faced with the German veto, the army decided to opt for the railway. Finally, on Tuesday, they were loaded onto the ground at the Mourmelon military base, southeast of Reims. Departure in theory within a few days, for an expected arrival before the end of the month in the center of Romania. Officially, there is no delay in the operation, we are assured within the staff of the armies. There remains one observation at the time of the return of high intensity warfare in Europe, the French tank carriers do not seem sufficiently adapted to transport the Leclercs as close as possible to the fighting.



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