Europe announces new defense investment focusing on advanced Main Battle Tank development projects.

On May 16, 2024, The European Commission announced a significant investment in defense, with a list of 54 ambitious industrial projects backed by a budget of over one billion euros. Two key initiatives focus on the development of advanced main battle tanks (MBTs), including the MARTE (Main ARmored Tank of Europe) led by a German Company, and the FMBTech (Technologies for existing and Future MBTs) led by a French Company.
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In June 2022, KNDS unveiled its new EMBT European Main Battle Tank during the Eurosatory defense exhibition that was held in Paris, France (Picture source KNDS)

The first project, MARTE, is a testament to the power of collaboration. Spearheaded by the MARTE ARGE GbR consortium, it brings together defense industries from Germany, Italy, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Spain, Belgium, Norway, Greece, Romania, Finland, and the Netherlands. This diverse group is united by a common goal: to create a new MBT platform that integrates innovative and disruptive technologies to meet current and future threats and requirements.

Key players in this consortium include Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann [KNDS Deutschland], and Rheinmetall with its five subsidiaries, Hensoldt and Renk. Belgium’s John Cockerill Defence and FN Herstal, Sweden’s Saab and BAE Bofors, Finland’s Patria, and Italy’s Leonardo and Iveco are also integral to the project.

Scheduled to run for 24 months, the MARTE project will focus on designing a new combat tank platform incorporating advanced technologies to enhance protection, detection, and firepower. According to the European Commission, the project also aims to improve cost-effectiveness and lifecycle management compared to existing solutions.

MARTE will research and design a new Main Battle Tank (MBT) platform that integrates innovative and disruptive technologies to address current and future threats and requirements. It will also explore applying these technologies to upgrade existing MBTs when suitable. The project aims to provide superior protection, detection, and firepower capabilities while improving cost-effectiveness and lifecycle efficiency compared to current MBT solutions.

While France is not involved in the MARTE project, it plays a significant role in another key initiative called FMBTech. Coordinated by France and led by Thales, this project includes partners from Belgium, Germany (represented by Scertas GmbH), Finland, Norway, Italy, Greece, Spain, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Ireland, the Czech Republic, and Cyprus.

The FMBTech project, with a budget of 20 million euros, is a beacon of innovation. It aims to enable existing and future European MBTs to achieve the highest operational effectiveness and mission success. The project will define and specify innovative technologies for a combat tank system architecture, with an emphasis on digital capabilities, interactions with robotic systems, and the integration of artificial intelligence.

Notable industry participants in FMBTech include KNDS France, Arquus (soon to be acquired by John Cockerill Defence), MBDA, Safran, and the French subsidiary of Germany's Hensoldt.

FMBTech will define and specify the best innovative technologies within a modular Main Battle Tank (MBT) system architecture. Its goal is to enable existing and future European MBTs to achieve the highest operational effectiveness and mission success in future land combat scenarios. The MBT will serve as the core of a digitized capabilities envelope by delivering cutting-edge, through-life capabilities. This will enhance its ability to interface with unmanned systems and increase crew efficiency through the use of artificial intelligence.