In a bold move to secure the future of European armored warfare, Germany and 11 partner nations have officially launched the MARTE (Main ARmoured Tank of Europe) project—an ambitious defense initiative aimed at developing a new generation of main battle tanks (MBTs). The announcement came on July 1, 2025, via KNDS, marking a pivotal moment for Europe’s strategic defense autonomy.
Spearheaded by MARTE ARGE GbR—a joint venture between German defense giants KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Landsysteme—the MARTE project is supported by a €20 million grant from the European Commission under the European Defence Fund. Its mission: to design a next-generation MBT platform that can meet the complex operational demands of modern and future battlefields.
The multinational program brings together 51 organizations from 12 countries, including industry leaders, research institutions, and innovative SMEs. Participating nations include Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and Germany. With institutional backing from 11 Ministries of Defense, MARTE has emerged as a symbol of pan-European defense cooperation and a practical step toward shared military modernization.
Driven by lessons from recent high-intensity conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, MARTE underscores the continued relevance of heavy armor. While military technology evolves, MBTs remain central to land warfare—vital for breaching enemy defenses, securing territory, and shielding mechanized forces. However, legacy platforms like the Leopard 2 and Challenger 2 are increasingly outpaced by new threats including drones, precision munitions, and electronic warfare systems. MARTE aims to address this capability gap with a digitally native, network-integrated, and highly mobile armored solution.
The program is divided into five technical workstreams, each led by a top-tier European defense firm: KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall (Germany), Leonardo (Italy), Indra Sistemas (Spain), and SAAB (Sweden). These teams will focus on core areas such as firepower, protection systems, mobility, situational awareness, and digital command architecture.
Following its formal initiation in December 2024, the project held its inaugural meeting in Stockholm, setting the stage for an unprecedented level of cross-border collaboration in land systems development. With guidance from the consulting firm Erdyn, MARTE is expected to chart a new path for European defense integration—combining industrial innovation with battlefield-tested insights.
As European nations confront a shifting security landscape, the MARTE project reflects a unified commitment to technological sovereignty, interoperability, and the reinforcement of NATO’s land combat capabilities. If successful, it will not only replace aging MBT fleets but also redefine Europe’s armored edge for decades to come.
