Amidst the Ukraine war and the resulting new challenges for the German Armed Forces, the modernization of the Bundeswehr appears to be stalling.
The Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) was originally intended to replace the Leopard 2. However, Germany is now reportedly working on a new battle tank in collaboration with Italy, Sweden, and Spain, excluding the previous partner, France.
The previously planned tank project MGCS between Germany and France is in danger of falling apart. According to a report by Handelsblatt and confirmed by a notification from Deutsche Welle, there seem to be significant doubts about the collaboration between the two countries. On September 6th, Handelsblatt reported that Germany might have signed contracts with Italy, Spain, and Sweden for the development of a new tank a few days ago. The German defence companies Kraus-Maffei-Wegmann and Rheinmetall are named as the primary players.
According to reports from N-TV, the Swedish company Saab and the Italian company Leonardo are also involved in the new tank project. Additionally, Spanish companies Santa Bárbara Sistemas or TESS Defence could potentially join as partners. This coalition of companies intends to apply for substantial funding from the European Defence Fund (EDF).
A Spanish defence magazine reported that France is considering ending its cooperation with Germany and Spain in the development of the next combat aircraft (FCAS) and instead partnering with countries like India, the UAE, and Indonesia. Germany is leading the MGCS tank project, while France is in charge of the FCAS aircraft project.
The MGCS was initially intended to replace the German Leopard 2 and the French Leclerc. For this, the holding company KMW+NEXTER Defense Systems N.V. (KNDS) was founded in 2015. However, the joint project hasn’t made significant progress.
Core issues between KMW and Nexter, the companies behind the Leopard 2 and Leclerc, have not been resolved. Rheinmetall is also eager to collaborate and wants to supply its 130-mm cannon for the future tank. However, there is resistance to the installation of this cannon in the MGCS.
There are also differences of opinion about the design of the new tank: France prefers a more agile, less protected tank, while Germany favours a sturdy, well-protected tank.
The French government is disappointed with the progress of the MGCS and finds Germany too reticent. The French tank Leclerc is older than the German Leopard 2. The Leopard 2 successor was initially scheduled for introduction in 2035, but now its debut is expected around 2040.
Both countries share the costs, with leadership expected to be with Germany. For this year, €83.5 million is earmarked for the development of the MGCS.
KMW continues to develop the Leopard 2. Currently, a new version, the Leopard 2 A7V, is being delivered to the Bundeswehr. There’s also a Leopard 2 variant with an Israeli protection system called “Trophy”. Another potential successor to the Leopard 2 is the KF51 Panther by Rheinmetall.
