Tank cannon as a bone of contention
When appearing together with Lecornu, Pistorius suggests developing two different cannons first and then deciding which system is better if necessary. It is also conceivable to work with two weapon systems in the long term – albeit on the basis of a jointly developed tank turret and a common hull.
From the point of view of France expert Ross, that would basically be a viable option. However, he sees it as a compromise solution for the near future, not necessarily in the long term. “Because it’s actually about developing a system together,” says Ross. “If both sides now develop a version A and a version B, with a French main gun and a German main gun, that takes the original idea a bit ad absurdum.”
Germany has the lead in MGCS tanks
The appearance of the two ministers in Berlin also shows that the idea of pulling together in the development of a new tank has temporarily receded into the background. Pistorius takes the opportunity to clarify, in view of the previous discussions, who has the leading role in the project: Germany. In return, the French would have their hat on another major military project – the planned FCAS fighter jet system.
The SPD minister can count on the support of the traffic light coalition when it comes to the MGCS. In the words of Green Party politician Sara Nanni, “the next generation of battle tanks will require a very high level of investment.” In this respect, it is “sensible to get together”.
MGCS tanks: criticism of insufficient funding
But even if Germany and France join forces, large sums of money will remain for both sides in such a billion-euro project. A problem that, from the point of view of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, has not been solved – even if they think the project itself is good. The defense policy spokesman for the Union faction, Florian Hahn, makes this clear: “This tank project is in no way financed at the moment.”
A look at the business plan for the “Bundeswehr Special Fund” shows that there is an item for the MGCS system. Specifically, credit options of around 1.1 billion euros are noted. In security circles, however, it is assumed that the project will be significantly more expensive.
2023-07-17 17:51:32
#Berlin #Paris #build #battle #tanks #future
