France and Germany Set Up Joint Company to Develop Next-Generation Tank

France and Germany have established a joint company, MGCS Project Company GmbH, to develop a new main battle tank under the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) program.

The company, registered in Cologne, was created by KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, and Thales.

The newly formed company will serve as the industrial prime contractor for the program’s next phase.

“It consolidates the concept and the main technological pillars of the system,” KNDS said in a statement.

Graphic model of the technology demonstrator of the new generation MGCS tankLaunched at the initiative of the governments of France and Germany, the MGCS project marks a key step in the MGCS project, which aims to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks by 2040.

At the Eurosatory 2022 defense expo, KNDS unveiled a technology demonstrator for the MGCS platform.
Though not yet a prototype, it illustrates the envisioned design of the next-generation tank.

The demonstrator combines a modified Leclerc fighting compartment with a Leopard 2A7 chassis.

From the outset, the project has faced delays and tensions over the division of responsibilities and industrial work between the two countries.

Currently, development is being led by the Franco-German consortium KNDS (a merger of KMW and Nexter Systems) and Germany’s Rheinmetall.

Each partner is responsible for one-third of the program, with Nexter guaranteed to produce 50% of the developed systems, and the two German companies sharing the remaining 50%.

The first combat vehicle developed under the MGCS project is expected to be completed by 2035.