Photos: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
CAPINT is being promoted as a bridge platform offered to the French Army (Armée de terre) to fill the gap between the upgraded Leclerc XLR/rénové and the delayed German-French MGCS (Main Ground Combat System). A bridge solution has been discussed in France for some time, and on April 8 the Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans officially announced plans to build such a vehicle.
CAPINT is derived from earlier technology demonstrators: the 2018 EMBT (Euro Main Battle Tank) and the 2024 EMBT-EDT 140, which was fitted with the new 140-mm ASCALON (Autoloaded and SCALable Outperforming guN) gun.
ASCALON
The latest proposal consists of a modified Leopard 2A8 tank chassis from KNDS Deutschland with a three-person crew, and an unmanned turret from KNDS France armed with the 120-mm, 55-caliber ASCALON gun with an autoloader and an ammunition load of 22 rounds, while also retaining the ability to be adapted for 140-mm ammunition by means of an enlarged 48-caliber gun.
An ARX RCWS remotely controlled weapon station is mounted on the turret roof, armed with a 30-mm automatic cannon chambered for 30 mm x 113 ammunition, with a supply of 150 rounds, and a coaxial 12.7-mm machine gun, with a supply of 300 rounds. The system is capable of engaging drones.
The power pack consists of an undisclosed 1,500-hp (1,100-kW) engine, providing a maximum speed of around 65 km/h and an operational range of more than 450 km. Ground clearance under the hull is 500 mm.
The vehicle is equipped with an intelligent high-/low-power electrical energy management system and a next-generation modular electronic architecture capable of managing unmanned aerial and ground systems beyond line of sight (NLOS), as well as an X-by-wire control system.
The commander and gunner have next-generation observation and sighting devices operating in Hunter-Killer and Killer-Killer modes, 360-degree situational awareness systems with day and infrared cameras mounted on the hull and turret, the LSAS four-radar drone detection system, laser warning and missile warning systems, and an acoustic gunshot detection system.
The modern modular armor system includes active and passive protection systems, including protection for the turret and hull roof against top-attack threats, as well as a distributed active protection system (APS) based on a full-hemisphere protection concept. This also includes soft-kill protection in the form of 22 smoke grenade launchers.
On the occasion of Eurosatory 2026, the manufacturer announced that the aforementioned EMBT-EDT 140 technology demonstrator with the ADT 140 turret had successfully completed firing-on-the-move trials earlier this year.
UPDATE
KNDS France has published a video of live fire tests of the main armament on the ADT-120/140 turret integrated with a modified Leopard 2A4 chassis:
Vous avez découvert le char de combat #CAPINT à #Eurosatory2026, la première partie de la réponse de KNDS aux besoins de capacité intermédiaire de l’Armée française !
Découvrez maintenant ses performances de tir en mouvement !#WeAreKNDS pic.twitter.com/IwlLd8SGBM
— KNDS France (@KNDS_France) June 29, 2026