The final batch of 52 French Leclerc tanks will be built to the latest Block-II-Plus standard, and GIAT wants the French Army to pay to upgrade the remainder of the fleet to this standard. France has 132 Block-Is and 178 Block-IIs. Improvements for the II-Plus include improved passive armor for the turret front and the forward third of the chassis sides and second generation forward-looking infrared scopes for both the commander and gunner (allowing hunter-killer tactics). The Block-IIs have improved climate control and enhanced software, plus other upgrades, compared to Block-I.-Stephen V Cole