Germany and France are developing a new tank for the armies of Europe

In Paris, at the international exhibition Eurosatory 2024 showed the future single tank of Europe - EMBT, developed by the joint efforts of the French and German defense industry. The tank was equipped with three guns and armed with a non-standard 140-mm gun. According to the idea, the tank must meet the new standards of combat operations - including the ability to hit the UAV.

EMBT is an improved main battle tank (Enhanced Main Battle Tank), which in theory could replace the German OBT of the third generation Leopard 2 and French Leclerc. At least, such a task was set by the German Ministry of Defense back in 2014, when the Bundestag was headed by Ursula von der Leyen. EMBT was first announced in 2018.

The tank was developed by the joint Franco-German holding company, created in 2015, formed from the German company KMW and the French state-owned company Nexter. In addition to EMBT, KDNS is developing a 155-mm self-propelled artillery (SAU) of a new generation, the deadline for completion of work is 2040.

The German KMW (Krauss-Maffeo Wegmann) is known as the manufacturer of Leopard 1 and Leopard 2, 15-mm PzH 2000 tanks, the Gepard anti-aircraft self-propelled unit and other Bundesweed land equipment. Nexter, in turn, including making French Leclerc tanks, 155-mm CAESAR and FAMAS rifles.

The new EMBT is a mixture of the German Leopard and the French Leclerc. From the Bundeswehr "Leopard" the future pan-European tank EMBT got the corps and chassis, and from the French - the tower.

Unlike other NATO tanks, EMBT requires three crews. The charger, which is in almost all Western tanks, decided to abandon (as previously did representatives of the Soviet tank building school). The charging system in the monoster automatic tank.

The tower of the new European tank is remotely controlled (as is the Russian T-14 Aramata, which has an uninhabited tower). The tower has a sensor system: laser and missile warning, listening to the environment for the presence of shots of the enemy with an acoustic sensor. It also put six radars against unmanned aerial vehicles.

The tank is armed with three cannons:

140mm main ASCALON gun. That's much more than the caliber of most tanks. The same Abrams and Leopard 120-mm guns, the Russian tank has 125-mm guns. Apparently, the Europeans are trying to create a caliber that will allow the destruction of any armored vehicle from the first shot. Telescopic shells with a length of 130 cm are used for firing. Telescopic shells, unlike conventional ones, have a shell. There are 22 shots in the combat kit. A new gun with the EMBT Tower will be tested in 2025.
The second gun - installed on the outer platform on the outer platform on top of the tower for 150 shots, can be used to destroy infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and light fortifications. It is handled, like the main gun, remotely.
Also on the tank there is a 20-mm automatic gun, paired with the main gun. There are 300 shots in the ammunition.

In addition to the three guns, the tank is equipped with a 7.62-mm machine gun. Power plant with a capacity of 1500 hp allows the car to accelerate to 65 km / h, the range is 450 km. Protected active armor with 22 counter-operator launchers, which must shoot down enemy anti-tank missiles.

EMBT is being created in parallel with the MCGS (Main Combat Ground System), launched by Germany and France in 2017. The program is aimed at replacing the Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks developed in the 70s and 80s of the XX century and the entire series of equipment of the two countries. That is, the MGCS will at least be a line of various armored vehicles, which will use a single platform of movement and unified modern technologies of protection and intelligence.

According to the Franco-German Institute of Defense Studies in Saint Louis, the MGCS could become a full-fledged ecosystem of military equipment, or a "future ground war" system. It can include autonomous and unmanned ground and aircraft in light, medium and heavyweight.

The purpose of the MGCS is to create the means providing a set of capabilities currently provided by the main battle tanks (but not necessarily typical OBT of the one platform). It requires the development of new tactics and joint combat capabilities in addition to new vehicles, according to the Institute.