KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Thales, in the presence of the heads of the defense ministries of France and Germany, signed an agreement to develop military equipment to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks as part of the Main Ground Combat System (CSMG) program. The new tank is already called the “tank of the future”
According to the plan, the new system should be designed by 2040. Both sides (France and Germany) said they were satisfied with the agreements reached so far. The company responsible for the project will belong to the counterparty parties equally, 25% of the shares, with a share of employees in Germany and France (50% each each). The headquarters will be in the cell, Germany.
According to the statement of KNDS, the partners of the MGCS program are satisfied with the passage of this stage of negotiations, which is a continuation of the momentum given by the governments of France and Germany in the spring of 2024 by the signing of a letter of intent (LOI).
This means that the formal contractor for the next phase of the MGCS program will be a specialized company with equal shares of KNDS France (formerly Nexter), KNDS Germany (formerly KMW), Rheinmetall and Thales. The contract will be agreed and signed with the German Office for Armament, Information Systems and Support of the Bundesver (BAAINBw), which implements the program on behalf of the governments of Germany and France.
The implementation of programs for the modernization of armored troops by such companies is not something new. This was already the case of the Boxer (ARTEC GmbH) program, which is collaborating with KNDS Germany and the German and Dutch companies Rheinmetall, as well as Pume (PSM GmbH, joint venture KNDS Germany and Rheinmetall).
The program itself, aimed at the development and implementation of the family of machines for the replacement of Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks by 2040 (since it will not be just a standard tank), is quite complex, and also will require a division of labor among several participants. However, before the MGCS system enters the market, its companies compete with each other, for example, KNDS Germany (with the Leopard 2A8 tank and subsequent modifications) and Rheinmetall (with the KF-51 Panther tank) for the supply of main battle tanks.
According to the plan, the new system should be designed by 2040. Both sides (France and Germany) said they were satisfied with the agreements reached so far. The company responsible for the project will belong to the counterparty parties equally, 25% of the shares, with a share of employees in Germany and France (50% each each). The headquarters will be in the cell, Germany.
According to the statement of KNDS, the partners of the MGCS program are satisfied with the passage of this stage of negotiations, which is a continuation of the momentum given by the governments of France and Germany in the spring of 2024 by the signing of a letter of intent (LOI).
This means that the formal contractor for the next phase of the MGCS program will be a specialized company with equal shares of KNDS France (formerly Nexter), KNDS Germany (formerly KMW), Rheinmetall and Thales. The contract will be agreed and signed with the German Office for Armament, Information Systems and Support of the Bundesver (BAAINBw), which implements the program on behalf of the governments of Germany and France.
The implementation of programs for the modernization of armored troops by such companies is not something new. This was already the case of the Boxer (ARTEC GmbH) program, which is collaborating with KNDS Germany and the German and Dutch companies Rheinmetall, as well as Pume (PSM GmbH, joint venture KNDS Germany and Rheinmetall).
The program itself, aimed at the development and implementation of the family of machines for the replacement of Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks by 2040 (since it will not be just a standard tank), is quite complex, and also will require a division of labor among several participants. However, before the MGCS system enters the market, its companies compete with each other, for example, KNDS Germany (with the Leopard 2A8 tank and subsequent modifications) and Rheinmetall (with the KF-51 Panther tank) for the supply of main battle tanks.