2023-09-07 15:57:25
For several years, France and Germany have been working on a new battle tank to replace the French Lecrerc and the German Leopard, in their different versions. If it goes ahead, this could affect Spain, since the strategic document that addresses the future Spanish battle tank speaks in the short term of an improvement of the current units until they become Leopard 2E Plus, but it would be a temporary solution that must serve as a bridge between the current and the future European “Main Ground Combat System (MGCS)”, that is, the Franco-German tank to which we were referring and whose first units were scheduled to enter service in 2035, although the project could be delay to 2045, given the slowness with which it is advancing.
However, disagreements between the two partners could slow down or even paralyze the project, since power struggles to see which companies participate and what role each one assumes have bogged down development to such an extent that its viability is in question.
Therefore, as reported yesterday the German newspaper Handelsblatt, Germany would be trying to develop the successor to the Leopard 2. Under the leadership of the German companies Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, companies from Italy, Spain and Sweden would also work on this project. Quoting this newspaper, “the parties involved signed the corresponding contracts a few days ago and now the partners want to jointly request financing from the European Defense Fund (EDF). It is a sum of three-digit millions,” he explains. In addition to KMW and Rheinmetall, the Italian Leonardo and the Swedish Saab are mentioned, without specifying in the case of Spain.
The four companies hope to obtain funds from the EDF, which has a total budget of 8 billion euros, of which 5.3 are available for the promotion of joint arms projects in the EU. The grants aim to help rationalize Europe’s fragmented defense sector and develop military capabilities “fundamental for the strategic autonomy and resilience” of both the EU and member states.
As Handelsblatt points out, in Brussels “it is no secret” that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is “skeptical about arms cooperation” between Germany and France. According to diplomatic sources, there is widespread frustration in Berlin because the economic benefits of these projects “have mainly benefited the French in the past.” Scholz now wants to give “priority to German interests, even if relations between Germany and France are affected by it.”
Although little else has emerged, it is very likely that it is the development of a new version of the Leopard 2, designated Leopard 2AX until now by Krauss Maffei Wegmann. The hypothesis of a model based on Rheinmetall’s KF51 Panther is obviously possible, but very unlikely.
In fact, Italy has already declared itself in favor of the German tank to replace part of its C1 Ariete. Sweden, for its part, has the Stridsvagn 122, a version derived from the Leoaprd 2A5, in service since 1997. As for Spain, it still has around a hundred Leopard 2A4 along with its 220 Leopard 2A6. Therefore, the three countries are interested in developing a version of the Leopard but from a joint European cooperation project, knowing that with four countries the program becomes eligible for EU aid and financing.
According to several digital media specialized in Defense issues, we will have to wait for official reactions, both from Berlin and Rome, Madrid and Stockholm, to know if this information has a real basis. We will also have to keep an eye on the reaction of France, the other partner of the MGCS and which would be isolated if this project goes ahead.
This initiative calls into question the project signed with France in 2017, when both governments agreed to a similar development called Main Ground Combat System (MGCS). This project, still current at least on paper, is part of the European defense initiative and is expected to become the continent’s main armored vehicle in the future.
The MGCS was launched by the German company Rheinmetall and the French Nexter Systems. The main objective of the project is to create a combat tank that can operate in any terrain, including urban, desert, forest and mountain environments, and that has the ability to carry out both offensive and defensive combat operations.
One of the main features of the MGCS is its ability to network with other combat systems, including drones, aircraft and unmanned ground vehicles. This will be achieved by integrating advanced sensor and communications technology into the vehicle, allowing the crew to have complete real-time situational awareness.
Another notable feature of the MGCS is its mobility. The vehicle will have a powerful engine and an advanced suspension system that will allow it to move at high speed on difficult terrain. In addition, the crew will have greater visibility of the battlefield thanks to a 360-degree camera system and screens inside the vehicle. The barge seems to be an improved version of the Leopard 2A7, also very similar to the Panther KF51, while the turret is reminiscent of the Leclerc and the K2 Panther, with a fairly low profile.
It is being studied to incorporate a hybrid propulsion system and the hull of the main vehicle can also be used as a base for variants of support vehicles. For example, the German Ministry of Defense has published a (purely theoretical) graphic showing three vehicles based on the same hull, but mounting different effectors: a manned command and control vehicle (C2) with the large-caliber main gun ; a manned vehicle with a turret-mounted launcher for hypersonic guided projectiles; and an unmanned support vehicle with a high-energy laser, a counter-UAV (C-UAV) system, sensors and several UAVs on board.
In terms of armament, it will feature a large-caliber main gun with significantly improved performance compared to the 120 mm guns used on the Leclerc and Leopard 2. Nexter proposes the new Ascalon as the main gun. According to Nexter, the weapon will also accommodate future smart tank munitions capable of engaging targets at beyond-line-of-sight/non-line-of-sight (BLOS/NLOS) ranges. The firm predicts that the technical solutions on which ASCALON is based will be fully mature by 2025. KNDS’ ARGE partner Rheinmetall, for its part, advocates its Rh-130 L/52 130mm self-loading smoothbore gun, which It also promises a significant improvement in rate of fire, range and penetration over current artillery.
It would incorporate a machine gun system and an anti-tank missile launcher. Additionally, options are being explored for the integration of laser and electronic systems to further increase the vehicle’s fire capability. It would have a weight of between 60 and 62 tons and would incorporate an MTU 883 engine, with a power of 1,500 hp. The powerplant is slightly smaller than that of the Leopard 2, leaving more space for the crew on the barge.
Sensor fusion within and beyond the individual vehicle will be critical to establishing tactical dominance on the battlefield. Each MGCS team will not only be networked with its immediate component units, but will also be integrated into the battlefield through a data cloud. This will allow access to a wide variety of distributed external sensors to create a high level of situational awareness and obtain targeting data for BLOS/NLOS targets.
In terms of protection, the MGCS will have advanced armor that will be able to withstand attacks from modern anti-tank weapons. It is also expected to have active protection systems, such as the Israeli Trophy system, which fires bursts of shrapnel to destroy projectiles before they reach the vehicle.
The MGCS project is currently in its design and development phase. The initial objective was for the vehicle to be operational around 2035, but the latest information suggests that it could be delayed at least until 2045. The war in Ukraine and the development of the most advanced versions of the Leopard itself, the 2A7 model, have led to the Government of Germany, the main country involved along with France, to postpone the arrival of the MGCS for 10 more years. The only advantage of this postponement is that new solutions and technologies could be incorporated, making this new battle tank a much more modern and revolutionary vehicle than initially planned. It could include the possibility of working together in “swarm mode” with other vehicles, becoming, if necessary, an autonomous car guided with the help of Artificial Intelligence…
Another asset that is on the table is the possibility of other countries joining the project, such as Italy, which has already shown its willingness, as it is also looking for a replacement for its main battle tank, the Ariete. , for around 2035, a date that would coincide with the one initially planned for the arrival of the MGCS… if it finally goes ahead.
At an industrial level, Italy’s entry into the project with the Leonardo and Iveco-OTO Melara units (known as CIO, a joint venture between Leonardo and Iveco Defense Vehicles) would benefit from decades of experience in the development of ground vehicles. Secondly, it further strengthens the European character of the project by adding Italy as another political and industrial contributor. This would also spread development costs and help Europe develop its own future-oriented land warfare capabilities, finding common political and industrial ground.
In the case of Spain, among its shortest-term plans there is no budget or documentation that suggests that our country wants to become part of the project, although logic should lead us to think that it should not be left out of a project of this nature. magnitude, especially taking into account its dependence on foreign technology. The difference is that you become a mere buyer of a closed product or, if you join, you can be part of the development and also adapt it to your needs, in addition to the importance that participating in an initiative of this magnitude would have for the Spanish industry.
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