The joint project was not expected to become operational until the 2040s
Boris Pistorius, Germany’s defence minister, indicated that the joint programme with France to develop a future main battle tank will not result in a common tank platform.
“The question will be whether we actually stick to shared platforms,” Pistorius told reporters on Thursday. Instead, the focus could be on joint technology development.
As with the failed joint fighter jet project, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) could instead focus on a common technological base and interoperability, while allowing the two countries to develop separate tank platforms.
The MGCS joint project was not expected to become operational until the 2040s, leaving France without a replacement ready for its current Leclerc tank, which is due to be decommissioned in the late 2030s.
