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Rheinmetall CEO warns Franco-German tank project may fail
🇩🇪 Germany /Conflict & Security

Rheinmetall CEO warns Franco-German tank project may fail

From Der Spiegel · () German

Translated from German, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger warns that France may withdraw from the joint Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) tank project.
  • Papperger stated that France plans to drastically cut the MGCS budget to less than half of current projections, which could lead to delays and reduced capabilities.
  • The MGCS project, launched in 2017, has so far received only 25 million euros, and Papperger expressed uncertainty about its future, noting that a successor tank is not expected until the 2040s.

The future of a major Franco-German military project, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) tank program, is uncertain, according to Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger. He warned that France might pull out of the collaboration, a concern that follows the earlier cancellation of a joint fighter jet project.

There is always a danger, but nothing has been decided yet.

— Armin PappergerRheinmetall CEO commenting on the possibility of France withdrawing from the joint tank project.

Papperger told "Welt am Sonntag" that France is considering a significant budget cut for the MGCS, potentially reducing it to less than half of the planned amount. "There is always a danger, but nothing has been decided yet," he stated. He expressed frustration over the lack of budget decisions, noting that reduced funding would inevitably lead to cuts in performance and further delays. The project, initiated nearly a decade ago, has so far only secured 25 million euros for its participating companies, which Papperger deemed "very little money."

France is planning to drastically cut the MGCS budget.

— Armin PappergerRheinmetall CEO detailing potential budget reductions by France for the Main Ground Combat System.

The MGCS, alongside the Future Combat Air System (FCAS), was launched in 2017 under the leadership of then-French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. While FCAS focuses on developing a sixth-generation fighter jet, MGCS aims to create a new main battle tank to replace Germany's Leopard 2 and France's Leclerc. However, Papperger voiced skepticism about the MGCS's realization, stating, "I cannot say today whether there will be an MGCS at all." He also highlighted the slow pace, with the tank not expected to be operational until the 2040s, while a bridge solution, the Leopard 3, is slated for early 2030s deployment.

We have zero decisions on the final budget.

— Armin PappergerRheinmetall CEO expressing frustration over the lack of budget finalization for the MGCS project.

Papperger also commented on the broader challenges facing the European defense industry, citing a fragmented market where countries often develop their own systems, leading to high costs and low production numbers. He suggested that the failure of the FCAS project was likely due to a mix of governmental and industrial disagreements, with a persistent nationalistic approach hindering consolidation.

If you have less money available, you won't get faster, and we are already very slow.

— Armin PappergerRheinmetall CEO explaining the consequences of budget cuts on the project's timeline.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Der Spiegel in German. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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