Berlin rejects claim it dropped Franco-German tank project

BERLIN, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Germany on ‌Friday dismissed remarks ​by ​the head of the French armed forces who said Berlin had decided to quit a troubled Franco-German tank project.

The dispute is the latest ‌sign of strain in Franco-German defence cooperation after the two countries scrapped ⁠a joint next-generation fighter jet project in June.

The project involves tank maker KNDS, a holding company ‌created between France's Nexter and ‌Germany's Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann (KMW). Germany's Rheinmetall and France's Thales are also involved.

Berlin and Paris agreed in 2017 to work on the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) tank to succeed ​the German Leopard 2 and the French Leclerc, but the project has been marred by delays and infighting between the countries.

"Germany and France announced several ⁠months ago that they would adjust their joint Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) cooperation program, thereby incorporating the lessons learned ​from Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," a spokesperson for the German Defence Ministry said.

"This does not mean the MGCS project has ​failed. On the contrary: We remain committed to ‌equal partnership in the MGCS and are focusing on future technologies for armored combat."

The head of the French armed forces, Fabien ⁠Mandon, had described the result of the joint programme as "not good" at a parliamentary committee hearing on Thursday.

"We have noted that the Germans have decided to drop out of the project," ⁠he said.

Later, the French Defence Ministry issued a statement on behalf of Mandon, stressing the work ​on the joint tank had not been in vain.

It said the programme was continuing and retained "major importance, with a renewed focus on enhanced connectivity, collaborative combat, automation and robotics".

In June, Germany ‌and France scrapped a major project to develop and build a new-generation fighter jet, bowing to industrial rivalries over Europe's most ‌ambitious defence programme.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron had concluded that there ⁠was no prospect of breaking months ‌of deadlock between arms firms ​involved in the plan, German officials said at the time.

(Reporting by Sabine Siebold in Germany and John Irish in Paris, Editing by ‌Xevi Fontdegloria)

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