French general says Germany withdrew from joint tank programme
Fabien Mandon described the industrial outcome as disappointing but rejected calling the Main Combat Ground System a complete failure.
France's chief of defence staff, Fabien Mandon, said on 8 October 2026 that Germany had pulled out of plans to build a next-generation battle tank jointly with France. Addressing lawmakers at a budget hearing, he acknowledged that French hopes for the project had not been met.
The Main Combat Ground System (MGCS) brings together KNDS France, KNDS Germany, Rheinmetall and Thales. Its progress has been hindered for years by industrial disputes, delays and political tensions. A German defence official offered no comment.
Asked about the programme by a National Rally lawmaker, Mandon resisted the description of it as a complete failure. He argued that several years of collaboration between the countries' land forces on requirements for a future tank had been useful, despite the disappointing industrial outcome.
The remarks came a few months after the sudden end of the Future Combat Air System, a separate defence industrial programme involving France and Germany.
