The project for the new main MGCS, Franco-German fighting tanks. What did the Rheinmetall giant chief announced

The Franco-German MGCS project (“Main Ground Combat System”) on the main battle tanks, which has stagnated for years, is accelerated and benefits from political will from both parties, said Armin Papper, the executive director of the German giant in the Rheinmetall weapons, according to Reuters.

“It is what the politicians want, but also the industry,” Papperger said in front of reporters, during a visit to the Unterluse plant, in northern Germany, attended by defense ministers in France and Germany.

Berlin and Paris agreed in 2017 to work at a Franco-German tank to succeed the Leopard 2 models in Germany and Leclerc in France, but the project was affected by disagreements and delays.

Efforts to accelerate production come at a time when Europe intensifies its production in the field of defense, feeling more vulnerable after Russia's invasion in Ukraine, started in 2022, and after the emergence of doubt about the US commitment to the NATO military alliance.

A concept of production for the new main fighting tank will be developed in the coming months, together with the French company Thales and Knds (a division of the French state producer Nexter Systems).

“Then we will move to the prototype phase and, after this phase, we hope to go relatively quickly to the production phase,” Papperger said.