KF51 Panther MBT has 130mm main gun.
MARTE: European Defence Fund Launches Europe’s Main Battle Tank Project: Brussels, Belgium – July 2, 2025 – The Project MARTE (Main ARmoured Tank of Europe), an initiative aimed at developing a future Main Battle Tank (MBT) System, has been launched with funding from the European Defence Fund (EDF). The project is coordinated by MARTE ARGE, a joint venture between KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH.
The MARTE project involves a consortium of 51 entities from 11 European Union Member States and Norway. The European Commission awarded the project a grant of approximately €20 million from the EDF. The grant agreement was signed, and a kick-off meeting was held in December 2024.
The consortium includes industrial partners, research institutions, and Small and Medium Entities (SMEs). In addition to the European Commission’s funding, the MARTE consortium has support from 11 Ministries of Defense (MoDs) across Europe. The German MoD leads the contributing MoDs, which also include Belgium, Spain, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, and Sweden. This initiative aims to address strategic autonomy in defense and security matters.
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Leopard MBT.
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MARTE’s objective is to conduct study and design activities for a future MBT system. This system is intended to address current and future threats and meet the harmonized needs of the participating European Member States. The project aims to integrate innovative technologies to design a defense system tailored to evolving challenges in modern warfare, incorporating lessons from current conflicts.
The consortium, composed of 51 legal entities from 12 European countries (11 Member States plus Norway), is contributing expertise. The project intends to foster technological innovation and cross-border collaboration.
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As coordinator, MARTE ARGE manages the project with support from the consulting company Erdyn and a core team of five defense companies: KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG and Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH (both Germany), Leonardo SPA (Italy), Indra Sistemas SA (Spain), and SAAB AB (Sweden). Each of these companies manages one of the five technical Work Packages, with other participating companies contributing their technical knowledge.
The MARTE project officially commenced on December 1, 2024, with the signing of the Grant Agreement between MARTE ARGE and the European Commission. The Kick-Off Meeting took place on December 5 and 6, 2024, in Stockholm, bringing together key stakeholders and consortium partners.
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