Project MARTE officially sets off to develop new European tank

Rheinemtall and KNDS have joined forces and initiated Project MARTE (Main ARmoured Tank of Europe), a new programme designed to enhance Europe’s technological autonomy through the development of a new Main Battle Tank (MBT), according to a 2 July MARTE press release. 

The effort is coordinated by MARTE ARGE GbR, a joint venture between KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Landsysteme. The project unites a consortium of industrial partners with support from the consulting firm Erdyn and a core team of five defence companies: KNDS Deutschland, Rheinmetall Landsysteme, Leonardo SPA, Indra Sistemas, and Saab AB. Each of these core companies is responsible for managing one of the five technical Work Packages. 

In total, the consortium comprises 51 legal entities from 12 European countries (11 Member States plus Norway), pooling their expertise and experience. The project is expected to last up to 24 months and has been awarded a grant of approximately €20 million from the European Defence Fund (EDF). The EDF is a component of the European Union’s Common Security and Defence Policy. Its purpose is to coordinate and increase national investment in defence research and development, and to improve interoperability between national armed forces.

“MARTE will study and design a new Main Battle Tank (MBT) platform that adequately meets current and future threats and needs, integrating innovative and disruptive technologies. It will further investigate the use of such technologies for upgrading current MBTs, when applicable. The project aims to offer superior protection, detection, and firepower capabilities, while enhancing the platform cost-effectiveness and lifecycle efficiency compared to existing MBT solutions,” the EDF document detailing the project explains. 

In addition to EDF funding, the MARTE consortium has received support from 11 MoDs, which are identified as potential future customers. Led by the German MoD, participating MoDs include Belgium, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and Sweden. This project represents a strategic investment in Europe’s defence capabilities, reflecting a desire for greater strategic autonomy amidst growing geopolitical uncertainties. However, it is notable that France and Poland are not included, presumably preferring even greater strategic autonomy. 

The objective of Project MARTE is to conduct study and design activities for a future MBT system that effectively addresses current and evolving threats while meeting the harmonised needs of the participating European Member States. The project officially started on 1 December 2024, and followed with a kick-off meeting the following week. This announcement appears to indicate that funding has been received and that the work will now begin. 

Calibre comment

Project MARTE comes amidst several other European tank development efforts. For example, Germany is pursuing the development of the Leopard 3 as an interim solution until the Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) is introduced. The MGCS, a Franco-German project, aims to replace the Leopard 2 and Leclerc tanks by 2035, though it has faced delays. Rheinmetall also unveiled its KF51 Panther, including a Concept Unmanned Turret (CUT) version, which is based on the Leopard 2 hull but features a new turret and a 130mm main gun. Rolls-Royce is separately developing a new 10V199 engine for the Leopard 2, which is lighter and more compact than the existing MB 873 engine, potentially freeing up space in the tank hull. France is pursuing upgrades for its Leclerc fleet, and the UK is also developing Challenger 3, which is expected to have made serious progress through its trials by the end of this year. And Poland is receiving a large quantity of the K2 Black Panther, a tank that is some decades younger than the Leopard 2 design used by most European countries. 

Having so many different initiatives may not be a bad thing for European tank technology. Clusters of companies working on innovative solutions to common challenges is often a good proxy for success. However, it is most important that a cohering authority emerges at some point to bring all of the innovations together into a working product. For this to happen in Europe will likely require some form of compromise between the major players in terms of work share and requirements. This isn’t impossible, and has happened plenty of times before. Indeed, the widespread use of the Leopard 2 is a strong indicator that a vehicle designed for one country’s needs can be seen as acceptable for many others. But it should be remembered that many international defence development efforts have failed, and so have many tank programmes. So, while this is an interesting and valuable development, it should be remembered that there is a long way to go between the current state of affairs and a new tank. That route is likely to be very political, and expensive. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 4th July, 2025. The lead image shows the entities that are involved in the consortium and was released by Indra.