BERLIN (dpa-AFX): Following the collapse of the planned Franco-German fighter jet program, defense contractor Rheinmetall fears a French withdrawal from the joint MGCS tank project as well. "A risk is always present, but nothing has been decided yet," Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger told "Welt am Sonntag."

According to information held by the Rheinmetall chief, France plans to drastically cut the budget for the MGCS project, the newspaper reports. "We have zero decisions regarding the final budget," Papperger said. The consequence would be delays: "If you have less money available, you do not move faster, and we are already very slow as it is."

Initiative Launched by French and German Governments

The "Main Ground Combat System" (MGCS) initiative, launched by the French and German governments, aims to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks with a cross-platform ground combat system by 2040, according to statements made at the founding of the project company.

In addition to Rheinmetall, the French Thales Group and KNDS are involved. The latter company was formed from the merger of German tank manufacturer Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and the state-owned French defense firm Nexter.

An Interim Solution for Now

As an interim solution until the launch of the MGCS, the German participants Rheinmetall and KNDS Germany have already initiated the development of a new main battle tank, unofficially dubbed the "Leopard 3" by the military trade press.

The first units are expected to enter service in the early 2030s, while the operational readiness of the MGCS tank is not anticipated until the 2040s. "That is an incredible amount of time. I cannot say today whether there will even be an MGCS at all," Papperger told "Welt am Sonntag."

On Tuesday, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron announced the end of the multi-billion dollar FCAS (Future Combat Air Systems) fighter jet project following prolonged disputes. The companies Dassault and Airbus were unable to agree on a common path during negotiations./kf/DP/he