Generational Change in Tank Production: Germany and France Decide on Basic Agreement for Ground Combat System

In a joint initiative, the defense ministries of Germany and France have reached a fundamental agreement on the extensive project of a new land combat system. Breakthrough and division of labor are established for the future main battle tank system, which is to be equipped with an arsenal of support weapons, including drones. The defense counterparts, Boris Pistorius from Germany and his French colleague Sébastien Lecornu, presented the results of the intensive talks in Berlin as seminal and historical. With Germany at the helm of the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS), a new era for the land forces in Europe is emerging. The initiative constitutes a counterpart to the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) led by France and will represent the subsequent generation for the current Leopard and Leclerc main battle tanks. Instead of mere development, MGCS will highlight completely new technologies such as AI support and laser weaponry to enable revolutionary networking on the battlefield. This important endeavor had previously experienced delays due to industrial differences and distribution conflicts between the participating states. The basic agreement on the FCAS project last May between Germany, France, and Spain has already created a constructive framework for the partner countries, on the basis of which the land component is now to be realized.