Germany has signed agreements with Italy, Spain and Sweden on the development of a successor to the Leopard 2 tank, German business daily Handelsblatt reported on Wednesday.
If confirmed, the deal would be certain to upset France, which, in 2017, agreed with Berlin to develop a joint Franco-German tank to succeed the German Leopard 2 and the French Leclerc in a project beset by delays and disagreements.
The initiative is to take place under the leadership of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall (RHMG.DE), the German arms makers building the Leopard 2, Handelsblatt reported, citing unnamed industry and political sources. The German defence ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Rheinmetall declined to comment on the report. A spokesperson for KMW could not immediately comment.
The newspaper said the partners in the deal were planning to apply to the European Defence Fund for funding amounting to a three-digit million euro sum, adding the project would also involve Sweden’s Saab (SAABb.ST) and Italy’s Leonardo (LDOF.MI). It did not identify which Spanish company would be involved. Läs artikel