Paris:Germany has decided to withdraw from a collaborative project with France aimed at developing a future battle tank, as stated by French Chief of the Defence Staff Gen. Fabien Mandon. This information was reported by the French broadcaster BFMTV.

According to Anadolu Agency, Gen. Mandon confirmed Germany's departure from the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project during a hearing at the National Assembly. He described the move not as a complete failure but as a significant decision by Germany. The project, which began in 2017, was intended to replace France's Leclerc and Germany's Leopard 2 tanks with a new ground combat system.

The MGCS project has encountered delays and disagreements over industrial work-sharing, financing, and technological choices, pushing the expected deployment to 2040 or 2045. Gen. Mandon acknowledged that while the withdrawal is not favorable from an industrial perspective, essential principles for the future tank have been established through joint efforts over several years.

Despite Germany's withdrawal, France remains committed to maintaining a heavy combat capability, highlighting the importance of tank firepower. Gen. Mandon advocated for the integration of complementary platforms, such as robots and artificial intelligence, and emphasized enhanced data sharing to potentially reduce personnel requirements.

He also noted that the gradual withdrawal of the Leclerc tanks is planned to begin in 2038, with necessary studies to be initiated by 2027 to meet this timeline.

This development represents another challenge for Franco-German defense cooperation, following the collapse of the Future Combat Air System project four months ago. That initiative, which included Spain, aimed to create a next-generation fighter aircraft by the 2040s to succeed the Rafale and Eurofighter jets.