German Media: A 10mm Caliber Difference Divides the European Tank Industry

According to a report by Reference News Network on May 15, the German newspaper Handelsblatt reported on May 12 that the German-French tank manufacturer KNDS Defense Systems (hereinafter referred to as KNDS) plans to go public this summer. However, ten years after the merger of Germany's Krauss-Maffei Wegmann and France's Nexter, KNDS has yet to become the "Airbus of tank manufacturing." There has been no collaborative research and development between Munich and Paris; instead, each has gone its own way. The two companies have not only failed to commit to joint development of armored vehicles, establish unified standards, and achieve synergies, but they also plan to develop in completely different directions in the coming years.

The report states that this is not just about a tank, a piece of artillery, or a single company; it concerns issues of national sovereignty.

Krauss-Maffei Wegmann closely collaborates with its German competitor Rheinmetall when developing each new type of tank, while Nexter, like all French defense companies, has always been a tool and symbol of French sovereignty. This model continues to persist ten years after the merger of the two companies.

The German subsidiary of KNDS and the French subsidiary of KNDS have not only failed to jointly develop new tanks but are also developing competing models independently. Worse still, in the future, European armies will face three different calibers of ammunition instead of a single caliber. In addition to the existing 120mm caliber, Germany is developing a tank that uses 130mm caliber ammunition, while France is developing a tank that uses 140mm caliber ammunition.

Originally, both sides were supposed to jointly develop a fifth-generation main battle tank. The corresponding project under the European Defense Fund is called "European Main Battle Tank" (MARTE).

The starting point for all this is the concern over Russian tanks (such as the developed T-14 "Armata" tank) — the "Armata" has thicker armor than its predecessors, and thus Europe also needs more powerful tanks. The existing 120mm ammunition of the Leopard-2 tank is likely insufficient to penetrate the armor of the "Armata."

The industry rule of thumb is that for every 10mm increase in caliber, penetration can increase by up to 50%. A 140mm cannon would have greater power, but the corresponding barrel and larger shells would increase the weight of the tank and reduce its mobility. This requires a trade-off.

Florian Hornwarth, head of the German subsidiary of KNDS, explained the situation regarding the French subsidiary of KNDS also developing tanks independently: "The two sides have different technical requirements — including the caliber of the cannon, which has led to the formation of two parallel consortia."

Thus, a 10mm difference determines the future of the European tank manufacturing industry. While Rheinmetall is successfully advancing its independently developed 130mm cannon to become NATO's new standard, the French subsidiary of KNDS is trying to persuade customers with its developed 140mm cannon.

The reason is that the caliber issue is closely related to the production of corresponding tank ammunition. Rheinmetall has already laid the groundwork in this area. At its new ammunition plant in Unterlüß, Rheinmetall can not only produce 120mm ammunition but also mass-produce the new 130mm ammunition. Whoever decides the caliber dominates this business.

The German defense industry is facing the largest order wave in decades. In the coming years, the Bundeswehr may invest up to 37 billion euros through the "Aminius" project to procure new tanks. This is several times the annual revenue of KNDS. The planned procurement includes "Boxer" armored personnel carriers, "Leopard" tanks, and "Puma" infantry fighting vehicles — all of which are joint products of the German subsidiary of KNDS and Rheinmetall. None of these are products developed jointly by Germany and France.

German Chancellor Merz hopes to "upgrade the Bundeswehr to become the most powerful conventional army in Europe." As a result, Germany's defense spending this year has already surpassed that of nuclear-armed France.

France has also responded: at the end of April, the French government announced it would increase defense spending by 36 billion euros over the next four years, which includes investment in developing a new type of tank for the French army that uses 140mm ammunition.

Nevertheless, by the end of this decade, Germany's defense budget will still be twice that of France. For the sovereignty-oriented French defense industry, Germany's new dominant position is a concern. The Franco-German joint fighter project (Future Combat Air System) is already facing a breakdown — the German industry hopes to manufacture its own fighter jets. Now, France also wants to create its own main battle tank. (Translated by Jiao Yu)