Germany's Leopard 3 to bridge gap before delayed Eurotank
The European tank emerging from the MGCS program is not expected before the 2040s. Not all countries can afford to wait that long for new equipment, including Germany, a participant in the MGCS program. As revealed by the project's head, Armin Dirks, a bridging tank, tentatively named Leopard 3, will be developed before the MGCS is completed.
The MGCS program—despite the optimistic claims of its participants—has faced delays. As highlighted by the Ukrainian service Defence Express, it took over six years not to design a new tank but merely to settle French-German agreements on task division. The original assumptions that a prototype eurotank would be ready by 2028, with the production variant entering service in 2035, have proven unrealistic.
These setbacks have led to doubts—like the opinion of Rheinmetall's CEO, Armin Papperger—that the eurotank may never be developed. Since it is currently a key future tank program in the West, this raises legitimate concerns.
At the International Armored Vehicles (IAV) conference, Armin Dirks presented plans concerning the future of the MGCS program. A brief mention of the "bridging" tank, which is to be the Leopard 3, caught attention.
Leopard 3 with a 130 mm cannon
This design will enter service after the currently produced Leopard 2A8 variant. It will undergo such significant changes compared to its predecessor that a new name, rather than just another variant designation, will be appropriate.
The Leopard 3 concept will resemble the Challenger 3. A new turret will be installed on the older, albeit modernized, chassis of the Leopard 2. The tank's main armament will feature a 130 mm cannon with an automatic loader (similar to the KF51U Panther tank). The new design will be compatible with drones and will use the latest sensors and technologies to enhance crew situational awareness.
Leopard 3 as a competitor to MGCS?
A Leopard 3 configured this way could enter service in the mid-2030s, ensuring the German army retains technologically advanced tanks. A demonstrator of this design, with a 120 mm cannon, is already in existence. In mid-2024, the KNDS consortium revealed it under the name Leopard 2A-RC 3.0.
According to Defence Express, if the "bridging" tank receives new armaments, a turret, sensors, and possibly an improved drive system, it might not significantly differ from the future tank still in development.
