Pistorius and Lecornu Tour Rheinmetall's Factory Facilities - Pistorius and Lecornu tour Rheinmetall's manufacturing facilities
In a significant step forward for the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) project, a joint effort by Germany and France to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc main battle tanks, key industrial partners have formally established the MGCS Project Company GmbH. Based in Cologne, Germany, this new company will act as the industrial prime contractor for the next phase of the MGCS program, consolidating the design concept and main technological pillars.
The MGCS Project Company GmbH was legally established and formalized on January 23, 2025. The joint venture is equally owned by the partners, with each holding 25%, resulting in a 50-50 national workshare between Germany and France. The partners include KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, and Thales.
The MGCS program aims to deliver a new cross-platform combat system by 2040, effectively superseding the legacy Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks. Before the full MGCS deployment, incremental upgrades to the Leopard 2 are underway, including enhancements such as a new digital turret core, situational awareness systems, and an active protection system. Rheinmetall, one of the core industrial partners, is deeply involved in both the interim upgrades of the Leopard 2 and the upcoming MGCS development, consolidating its role in the future of German-French armored ground combat capabilities.
Notably, Rheinmetall is a company involved in the production of armored vehicles and ammunition, as well as the German-French tank project MGCS. On Thursday, Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu will visit the Rheinmetall plant in Unterlüß, Lower Saxony, Germany, to discuss the production of armored vehicles and the expansion of ammunition production at the facility.
The visit by Pistorius and Lecornu to the Rheinmetall plant is focused on the production of armored vehicles and the expansion of ammunition production. After the visit to the Rheinmetall plant, the two ministers will travel to Osnabrück, where discussions on military cooperation and the situation in Ukraine are planned between them. Sébastien Lecornu will also sign the Golden Book of the city of Osnabrück during his visit.
The goal of the MGCS project is a networked next-generation land combat system. The visit by Pistorius and Lecornu to the Rheinmetall plant in Unterlüß on Thursday at 11:30 AM is part of their official tour, and while it is in the context of the German-French tank project MGCS, the visit to Osnabrück is not directly related to the MGCS project.
As of mid-2025, there have been no indications that would suggest deviations from these plans for the MGCS project. Technological advances, including new weapons and active protection systems, are part of the ongoing development, with Rheinmetall developing a new 130mm cannon concept expected to offer significantly improved armor penetration compared to the current 120mm gun.
With the establishment of the MGCS Project Company GmbH and the ongoing development efforts, the future of German-French armored ground combat capabilities is moving forward, with the MGCS set to take its place as a state-of-the-art combat system by 2040.
- The MGCS Project Company GmbH, established in Cologne, serves as the industrial prime contractor for the next phase of the MGCS program, with key industrial partners equally divided across Germany and France, including KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, and Thales.
- Rheinmetall, a core industrial partner in the MGCS program, is also involved in the production of armored vehicles and ammunition, as well as the German-French tank project.
- With the MGCS Project Company GmbH now in place and development efforts underway, the future of German-French armored ground combat capabilities is moving forward, with the MGCS set to become a state-of-the-art combat system by 2040.
