Germany's leap: Leopard 3 to bridge tank delay gap
The European tank resulting from the MGCS program is not expected to appear until the 2040s. Not every country can afford to wait that long for new equipment, including a participant in the MGCS program—Germany. According to Armin Dirks, the head of the MGCS project, a bridging tank, provisionally named Leopard 3, will be developed before the MGCS.
Despite participants' optimistic declarations, the MGCS program is stalled. As reported by the Ukrainian news outlet Defence Express, it took over six years not to design a new tank but to finalize the French-German agreements regarding the division of tasks. The original plan, which anticipated that a prototype Eurotank would be ready by 2028 and the production variant would enter service in 2035, has proven unrealistic.
These delays have led to speculation—such as the opinion of Rheinmetall's CEO, Armin Papperger—that the Eurotank may never be developed. Given that it is currently a key future tank program in the West, this situation could raise legitimate concerns.
Therefore, when Armin Dirks presented plans regarding the future of the MGCS program at the IAV (International Armored Vehicles) conference, a brief mention of the "bridging" tank, which is to be Leopard 3, garnered attention.
Leopard 3 with a 130 mm cannon
This design will enter service following the currently produced Leopard 2A8 variant. Compared to its predecessor, it will undergo enough changes to warrant a new name rather than just the designation of the next variant.
The Leopard 3 concept will resemble the Challenger 3. A new turret will be installed on the old, though modernized, chassis of the Leopard 2. The tank's primary armament will be a 130-mm cannon with an automatic loader (as in the KF51U Panther tank). The new design is expected to integrate drones and incorporate the latest sensors and tools related to crew situational awareness.
Leopard 3 as a competitor to MGCS?
A Leopard 3 configured this way would enter service in the mid-2030s, ensuring that the German army consistently possesses tanks at a high level of technology. A demonstrator of this design, in a variant with a 120-mm cannon, already exists—the KNDS consortium unveiled it in mid-2024 under the name Leopard 2A-RC 3.0.
In commenting on these plans, the Ukrainian service Defence Express notes that—if the "bridging" tank receives new armaments, a turret, sensors, and potentially an improved drive system—it might not significantly differ from the future tank that is yet to be developed.
