From POLITICO · · 1m
France admits Franco-German tank project has failed
France's top general publicly acknowledges the joint next-generation battle tank program with Germany has collapsed after years of delays and disputes.
In brief
France's top general publicly acknowledges the joint next-generation battle tank program with Germany has collapsed after years of delays and disputes. France's chief of defense staff Fabien Mandon told lawmakers the Franco-German Main Combat Ground System tank project failed after Germany withdrew, marking a rare…
French general admits tank project failed
France's top general Fabien Mandon told lawmakers on Thursday that the Franco-German next-generation battle tank project had failed after Germany withdrew from it.
“The outcome isn't good. We had hoped to build a future tank in cooperation with the Germans, but unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the Germans have withdrawn from the project.”
Years of delays and industrial disputes
The Main Combat Ground System, involving KNDS France, KNDS Germany, Rheinmetall and Thales, had been bogged down by years of delays, industrial disputes and political tensions.
Not a complete failure, Mandon says
Mandon pushed back against calling it a failure, saying the land forces had worked together for years to determine what a future main battle tank should look like, though he acknowledged it was not good news industrially.
“It's not a complete failure; it's an important decision by Germany, but our land forces have worked together for several years to determine what a future main battle tank should look like.”
Here's the gist
France's chief of defense staff Fabien Mandon told lawmakers the Franco-German Main Combat Ground System tank project failed after Germany withdrew, marking a rare public admission of the program's collapse.
