Germany and France have agreed to move to the next phase of the new generation tank project, thereby marking a breakthrough to promote joint ownership of a common weapons platform in the near future.
According to Defense News, during a visit to Paris at the end of April, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu signed a memorandum of understanding on the first development phase of the war tank project. main combat system, known as the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), after many years of inception.
Although there is still a long way to go to realize the project, the head of the German Ministry of Defense considers this a stepping stone to complete the cooperation agreement co-sponsored by the two countries. Now defense enterprises of both sides such as KNDS, Rheinmetall and Thales can begin to sketch and propose ideas. In particular, contracts with contractors will be signed by the end of this year. “We have achieved a breakthrough with a historic project,” Minister Pistorius emphasized.
Leopard 2 tank of the German army. Photo: Getty Images
The MGCS tank is the second largest defense industry project between Germany and France, besides the ambition to build the next generation fighter aircraft called FCAS. In 2017, Berlin and Paris agreed to jointly develop a new tank with the expectation that the program will be completed in 2025, launch the prototype in 2027 and put it into service from 2035, in order to successively succeed the vehicle lines. The tanks currently in service are Leopard 2 and Leclerc, as well as supplied to the international market. However, both of these projects encountered disagreements and delays due to the failure to determine the specific responsibilities of each side, in the context of bilateral relations also becoming more tense due to differences in energy issues. quality and relations between European countries and the United States.
However, it is extremely important for France and Germany to move to the next step in the development of the MGCS tank, highlighting how Europe can be self-sufficient in defense, creating its own defense technology foundation. region, proactively competing with emerging Asian countries such as India and China, while staying ahead of major rivals such as Russia and the United States. Both countries contribute equally to the joint hardware project. According to Reuters, when mentioning MGCS tanks, French Defense Minister Lecornu compared that while France and Germany are forming a joint project, the US still has no answer about the future of the Abrams tank line.
Currently, the technical and tactical information of the MGCS tank has not been disclosed. Defense News quoted several military analysis sources as saying it will have an easily upgradeable design, a new 130mm or 140mm main gun, a complex armor system, new engines, fire control technology and connectivity. Strong information connection, unmanned version is likely to appear. Minister Lecornu himself once described that France and Germany will create “not the tanks of the future but the future of tanks” with the purpose of ensuring the combat capabilities of the two countries’ armies in the face of changes in the context. geopolitical and military future.
Not only aimed at tank production, the MGCS project between Germany and France is essentially a multi-platform defense program, such as new generation anti-tank missiles, robots equipped with laser weapons, drones and many other improved weapons… In addition, the project’s products will be equipped with modern technology including artificial intelligence (AI) to support the provision of intelligence and planning. , command and coordinate firepower.
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