In Paris, the planned project company between defense firms KNDS, Rheinmetall and Thales to develop a future main battle tank for Germany and France will remain closed to other shareholders for now, according to the French branch of KNDS. The companies plan to set up a project company to work on the Main Ground Combat System under the recommendations of the two governments for a 50-50 France-Germany split.
Deciding the division of work on the future tank has been a touchy topic for politicians in France and Germany. The project will include a heavy tank alongside other effectors such as armored vehicles equipped with innovative weapons, drones, and a combat cloud. The work on MGCS has been divided into eight pillars with a 50-50 French-German subcontracting basis.
France’s Safran is involved in several pillars of the MGCS project, leading work related to the sensor suite along with Thales LAS. Conversations are ongoing between France and Italy regarding Italy’s potential participation in the project for a future tank. The national leads for the MGCS pillars have been designated by the governments of France and Germany.
The project company will be the single point of contact for the contracting authority, Germany’s Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology, and In-Service Support. Germany is designated the lead country on the project, and invitations to tender will be issued by the Bundeswehr acquisition office.
