The European defense cooperation is facing yet another setback. After the collapse of the Franco-German FCAS fighter jet program, the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project has also run into serious trouble. The ambitious plan to build a next-generation battle tank has been quietly dropped from the latest official agenda.
The German daily „Dziennik Gazeta Prawna” reports, citing the final document from the 26th session of the Franco-German Defense and Security Council, that there is no mention of a joint tank. Instead, the document merely states that both sides will „study a systemic approach as an integral part of future multi-domain operations.” The agreement to launch the MGCS program was signed by France and Germany on April 26, 2024.
„This is more than a breakthrough, this is a historic moment,” said German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius in March 2024. The MGCS was intended to replace the Leopard 2 in the German armed forces and the Leclerc in the French army by 2035. The program was initiated back in 2017, five years before the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
National rivalries and diverging interests
Over time, national industrial competition and differing strategic priorities between Paris and Berlin have effectively stalled the project. Sources close to the negotiations indicate that disagreements over technology sharing, production locations, and export control rules have prevented any tangible progress. The French defense industry insists on maintaining full sovereignty over critical systems, while German manufacturers push for a more integrated and cost-efficient production model.
The MGCS was supposed to be a flagship of European defense autonomy, yet the failure to reconcile these competing interests has left the program in limbo. This is not an isolated incident.
FCAS déjà vu
In June 2026, news broke that the Franco-German Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project had also ended in failure after years of preparation. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly concluded that Dassault and Airbus were unable to reach an agreement on building a joint combat aircraft. The FCAS was designed to replace the Eurofighter and Rafale from 2040 onward, with a budget estimated at over 100 billion euros. The system was meant to integrate the fighter with drones and a combat cloud command network.
The consecutive failures of both FCAS and MGCS raise serious questions about the viability of large-scale bilateral defense projects in Europe. Both nations now face the prospect of modernizing their armored forces independently, which will likely drive up costs and extend timelines.
For Poland, which operates a mix of German Leopard 2 tanks and American Abrams, the news is a reminder of the risks of relying on European cooperative programs. Warsaw has been actively building its own defense industrial base, including a modernized rolling mill for armor plates used in Krab howitzers and Rosomak armored vehicles.
Źródło: WNP.pl, Fot. Shutterstock/Rasmus Christopher Franck
