MARTE European Tank Project Reaches the Midpoint of Development

One year after the launch of the MARTE (Main Armored Tank of Europe) project, the program has reached the midpoint of the development phase.

Hartpunkt reported on this.

According to available information, the developers have submitted a comprehensive mission concept to the European Commission and presented requirements for the future battle tank system.

The MARTE consortium, comprising MARTE ARGE GbR, KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, Leonardo S.p.A., Indra Sistemas S.A., and Saab AB, has already completed several technical work packages.

The submitted results have been officially confirmed by the European Commission and are thus expected to serve as a solid foundation for moving to the next phase of the MARTE project.

At this stage, the main focus will be on the design and architecture of the MARTE combat tank, both as an integrated system and in its individual subsystems. According to the consortium, KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co. KG, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, and Leonardo S.p.A. will lead these efforts.

It is reported that the project is exploring the possibility of applying these technologies to modernize existing tanks. The MARTE project is scheduled to last two years, with funding of approximately EUR 20 million.

MARTE is not the only one

Alongside MARTE, several other projects are aimed at developing next-generation European tanks.

For example, in the summer of 2025, the FMBTech project officially launched under Thales’ coordination, with the goal of developing technologies for the European tank of the future. Its funding is also provided by the European Commission, which has allocated 19 million euros through the European Defense Fund, as well as by the consortium itself.

Companies from Belgium, Germany, Finland, France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus are participating in the project. They include Thales, Hensoldt, MBDA, and KNDS France, which have significant experience in tank manufacturing.

In addition, the Franco-German joint development of the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) tank is ongoing, with plans to commission the development of individual components by the end of 2025. To implement the program, the MGCS Project Company has already been established to serve as the prime contractor for the development and subsequent production of the MGCS.

Shareholders of the MGCS Project Company are also involved in the FMBTech projects—specifically Thales and KNDS France—and the MARTE project, in which KNDS Germany and Rheinmetall are participating. At the same time, a significant number of other companies from the FMBTech and MARTE consortia are also involved in the MGCS program.