The Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) programme has marked a milestone with the establishment of the MGCS Project Company (MPC) in Cologne, Germany.
This comes following approval by the German Federal Cartel Office.
In April last year, the MGCS programme achieved a milestone with the signing of the shareholder agreement for the MPC.
The ownership structure of the MPC is evenly distributed, with each of the four signatories—KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, and Thales—holding a 25% stake.
Operational efforts will be equally shared between Germany and France, ensuring a balanced partnership in this defence project.
Colonel (G.S. German Armed Forces Reserve) Stefan Gramolla has been appointed as the managing director of the newly formed company.
The MGCS project is set to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks with a multi-programme ground combat system by 2040.
The Leopard 2, developed by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) of Munich, Germany, is a successor to the Leopard 1 and has been in service since 1979 with various armies worldwide.
Meanwhile, the Leclerc main battle tank, a 57-tonne (t) tracked machine built by Nexter Systems, has the capability to fire various types of ammunition in both stationary and mobile modes.
Following the upcoming negotiation of a contract with the Federal Office for Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support of the Bundeswehr (BAAINBw), MPC will act as the industrial prime contractor for the next phase of the MGCS programme.
The BAAINBw represents both nations through a Franco-German Combined Project Team (CPT). MPC will consolidate the system’s concept and main technological pillars.
