But after reading about the French military and how it built no new armored vehicles for 15 years until this particular one,

I also noted how French tanks in the 1930's were painted in elaborate camouflage, only to go to green and brown by 1940.

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But after reading about the French military and how it built no new armored vehicles for 15 years until this particular one,

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Which 15 years is that? I can't identify any 15 year period when France built no new AFVs. Of course things slowed way down after 1918, but there were still new AFVs being built. The FCM 2C of 1919, the Renault NC of 1921, Char D1 of 1928, B1 of 1934, and then most of the better-known AFVs of WW2 after 1935.

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I also noted how French tanks in the 1930's were painted in elaborate camouflage, only to go to green and brown by 1940.

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Camouflage on French AFVs was done at the factory, not by units, so you can identify production batches by their paint jobs. Some later batches got a green-and-grey scheme, but as far as I know no one was repainting older AFVs into plainer schemes.

Which 15 years is that? I can't identify any 15 year period when France built no new AFVs. Of course things slowed way down after 1918, but there were still new AFVs being built. The FCM 2C of 1919, the Renault NC of 1921, Char D1 of 1928, B1 of 1934, and then most of the better-known AFVs of WW2 after 1935.

Revamping old tanks with new suspensions, maybe, but not the same as new vehicles. No money and no belief that they were needed, since Germany was no longer perceived as a threat. Then Hitler rose to power. Oops!

You're half right. New tanks were developed, but never reached production until the mid 1930's. The UE was still the first new vehicle actually to reach the French Army.

You're half right. New tanks were developed, but never reached production until the mid 1930's. The UE was still the first new vehicle actually to reach the French Army.