The French and German Defense Ministers have announced the signing of an agreement on the joint project of the tank of the future Mgcs, long hampered by divergent interests. “After several months of intense negotiations, we can now present a result (…) The working groups (of the two countries) have drawn up a document which we will sign together on Friday in Paris,” declared the German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in an interview published today by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper. “The detailed contract should be ready at the beginning of next year,” Pistorius specified.
The French Minister Sébastien Lecornu, in the joint interview, underlined that with this project Paris and Berlin are planning «the new generation of tanks for 2040» distancing the Americans who «have not yet started to reflect on the future of the Abrams tank» and the Russians who « they had some failures with the successor to their chariot.” The MGCS will integrate “next generation firepower, electronic warfare and artificial intelligence, as well as laser and directed beam weapons,” Lecornu predicted.
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A month ago the two countries managed to unblock the dossier by agreeing on the division of industrial tasks. Financed in equal parts by the two countries and directed by Germany, this program – originally conducted by Knds, an entity created for the occasion between the French Nexter and the German Kmw which produces the Leopard 2, saw the irruption in 2019 of the German group Rheinmetall which has long destabilized the structure and expected distributions among industrialists.
The MGCS (English acronym for Main Ground Combat System) program was launched in 2017, at the same time as the Fighter Aircraft of the Future (SCAF), another defense cooperation project between Germany and France. The MGCS aims to replace the French Leclerc tanks and the German Leopard 2 starting from 2035,
Mgcs, what it is and how it works
The new tank known as Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) It is the second arms industry project between two countries after the SCAF (Système de Combat Aérien du Futur), the project for a sixth generation fighter-bomber, in which Spain also participates. The MGCS is a project born in 2017 from Germany and France with the desire to incorporate new technologies capable not only of providing and communicating data in real time but also of being able to control unmanned vehicles. Additionally this warfare system may also include autonomous ground and air vehicles, plus traditional medium- or heavy-weight manned vehicles and associated weapons.
THEThe advantage of the tank is the combination of the very high-capacity Leopard 2 chassis with the lighter Leclerc turret. The 2-man Leclerc turret is approximately 6 tons lighter than the 3-man Leopard 2 turret. The vehicle’s lighter weight allows it to cross bridges that may not be able to support heavier tanks. Large-scale development of the wagon could be initiated if export customers are found.
The cannon that should be used involves the ASCALON system which should be able to have a increased caliber which enriches the range of ammunition to have: an optimal effect on the target thanks to barrels of unrivaled length; it also allows you to predict smart ammunition (missiles, shells and other ammunition) for firing beyond the line of sight, which will provide new capabilities while reducing the tank’s vulnerability; greater firepower of an optimized chamber capable of offering exceptional operational performance with an energy level close to 10 megajoules for kinetic ammunition while remaining below the internal pressure level of current calibers. A controlled explosive effect: an innovative muzzle brake, regulated external pressure fields and an optimized firing impulse will reduce the explosive effect of the shot, reducing the safety distance around the tank, allowing dismounted troops to operate closer to the tank armed, particularly in urban areas. Compact Ammunition: With a maximum length of 130 cm, ASCALON telescopic ammunition will be more compact than ammunition of equivalent caliber while maintaining the maximum rod length. It can be used with automatic loading systems such as the current Leclerc tank. Lighter platforms: thanks to a controlled impulse, ASCALON will have reduced recoil and less acceleration generated by the cannon; ASCALON could be mounted on platforms weighing less than 50 tons exceeding the performance and lethality of today’s main gun.
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