BERLIN (dpa-AFX) - The defense companies involved in the development of a state-of-the-art land combat system planned by Germany and France intend to establish a joint project company. In a statement, the companies KNDS Deutschland (formerly KMW), KNDS France, Rheinmetall AG, Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Thales welcomed the agreement signed on Friday by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) and his French counterpart Sébastien Lecornu for the billion-euro armaments project. They spoke of an "important milestone for the development of a superior land combat system for the armed forces of the future".

The four companies KNDS Deutschland, KNDS France, Rheinmetall Landsysteme and Thales Six intended to establish the joint company "in order to meet the challenges of such a complex multi-platform system in the best possible way and in synergy". The approach of the agreement is suitable "to ensure a fair distribution of the workload in a balanced 50:50 ratio between French and German companies - also taking into account the complementary technical capabilities and resources of the companies." A contract should be concluded by 2025.

The agreement between the defense ministers lays the political foundation for the combat system known as the "Main Ground Combat System" (MGCS) and also defines the long-disputed distribution of tasks. The large-scale project is to be structured along eight pillars: Germany and France each have the lead in two, while the other four are to be coordinated jointly.

According to Defense Minister Pistorius, it is not about the further development of the Leopard and Leclerc main battle tanks, but about "something completely new". The land combat system is intended to connect a future main battle tank in a data network with drones and other unmanned systems, thus enabling a leap in military technology. Industrial distribution disputes had led to delays and tensions between Berlin and Paris./lw/DP/he