France is concerned that they won't have enough modern tanks, because MGCS won’t be ready until the 2040s. And at the same time, the planned fleet of 200 modernized Leclerc XLRs is not only small, but also has problems with spare parts.
On top of everything is added the fact that the French have forgotten how to make tanks. Yes, KNDS France hasn't produced new tracked vehicles for almost 17 years and hasn’t actually developed them for 35 years.
Read more: 108 Enemy Aircraft Downed, $25M Saved How F-16s Beat Houthis With Obsolete Missiles, APKWS
So to create a new generation of tanks, they decided to unite with Germany in one MGCS program. However, since 2017, progress ends with creating a joint consortium and concepts, however contracts still haven't been made, which postpones readiness even further.
The Germans don't see a problem with this, because now they are actively purchasing Leopard 2A8s, the first of which was recently rolled out from the factory. And to ensure "interim" capabilities, they are creating Leopard 3, which will most likely "delay" joint development even more.
As a result, France finds itself in an unpleasant situation, where there are only 200 tanks in service, all of which will undergo modernization to XLR level, and about the same number in storage. Moreover, the latter cannot simply be restored, because they are being disassembled for spare parts for the active fleet.
At the same time, concerns are already being voiced that maintaining Leclerc's powerplant is becoming very difficult with each year, and remotorization will cost at least $1.5 billion. And by 2027 they want to have a full division.
An interim solution is immediately proposed, like the Germans, where even a foreign tank can be taken to quickly close needs. However, French industry and parliamentarians oppose this, emphasizing the need to finalize any solution other than their own. They also emphasize that France's own machine will be able to help with technologies that will subsequently be used in MGCS. However, new equipment will take a decade to develop and who knows how long to produce.
French industry is already known for the actual collapse of the sixth-generation fighter for the sake of its own interests. So it's not surprising that in other spheres they try the same, although here there are nowhere near such independent capabilities.
Thus the country remains at a crossroads of decisions, where waiting increasingly threatens the absence of equipment in 2037-2047. As a result, against the backdrop of active support for the Franco-German tank, we may see the purchase of Leopard 2A8, or even Leopard 3, but this is if France can "overcome" its own pride.
Read more: Australia Buying Missiles That Don't Exist Yet $3.1B for AIM-260A JATM Delivery in 2033
