KNDS unveiled its new CAPINT battle tank at the Eurosatory defence fair near Paris on June 15, 2026. The vehicle serves as an intermediate solution for the French army’s Leclerc tanks as the Franco-German MGCS programme experiences delays, according to the company. Officials have cited the need to avoid a capability gap before the new system is ready in the 2040s.
According to French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin in an April parliamentary hearing, the MGCS project launched in 2017 is about 10 years behind schedule with entry into service now planned for 2040 to 2045. The Leclerc tanks are scheduled for retirement by 2038. Vautrin attributed part of the delay to Germany’s decision to develop its own Leopard 3 tank in parallel.
The CAPINT uses a German chassis from KNDS’s German unit and a French gun from its French unit, the company said. It aims to pave the way for the MGCS while addressing immediate requirements for firepower, drone defence, digital connectivity and robotic integration. KNDS holds the position of Europe’s leading main battle tank developer.
NATO data indicates that European allies and Canada raised defence spending by 20 percent in 2025. The allies committed at last year’s Hague summit to targeting 5 percent of GDP on defence and infrastructure by 2035 amid ongoing pressure from Russia and the current US administration. France plans to add 36 billion euros to its defence allocations for the years 2026 through 2030.
The tank’s presentation at Eurosatory follows the termination last week of the FCAS fighter jet programme by France and Germany after disagreements between Airbus and Dassault, France 24 reported. Rheinmetall’s CEO suggested France is considering major cuts to MGCS funding. A French government source maintained that the project stays important for both nations.
KNDS is set to pursue a dual-listing IPO in Frankfurt and Paris this year. The company used the exhibition to assert its role as a systems integrator across land domain capabilities. Parallel German efforts on an upgraded Leopard variant complement the interim approach taken for French forces.
