French military officials say the Ukraine war has shown that heavy tanks alone are insufficient for modern battlefields, where mines, drones and anti‑tank missiles pose new threats. They are studying a return to medium‑weight, sand‑colored armored vehicles that offer more protection than wheeled platforms while being more mobile and cheaper to operate than main battle tanks. The move is intended to fill the gap in France’s armor capability until the next‑generation MGCS tank, a Franco‑German project delayed by several setbacks, becomes operational. Proposals displayed at Euroraces 2026 include a CAPINT tank on a Leopard 2A8 chassis with a 120 mm gun and autoloader, and the FENRIS combat vehicle equipped with a 105 mm gun.