PARIS — France’s top general, Fabien Mandon, confirmed on Thursday that Germany has withdrawn from the Franco-German next-generation battle tank project, effectively ending the Main Ground Combat System initiative.

Speaking before lawmakers during a budget hearing, Mandon acknowledged the project’s collapse, stating, “The outcome isn’t good. We had hoped to build a future tank in cooperation with the Germans, but unfortunately, we have to acknowledge that the Germans have withdrawn from the project.” His remarks marked one of the first public confirmations by a French official after months of speculation over the program’s fate .

Launched in 2017, the project aimed to replace France’s Leclerc and Germany’s Leopard 2 tanks by around 2045 but was plagued by industrial disputes, funding disagreements, and delays. The announcement follows the collapse of another major Franco-German defense program, the Future Combat Air System, just four months prior .

Mandon, while resisting the term “failure,” conceded the decision was a setback, noting, “From an industrial point of view, this is not good news.” He emphasized, however, that years of collaboration between French and German land forces had not been wasted .