The European Main Battle Tank Development (FMBTech) Project has Been Launched to Develop the Technologies Behind the Tank of the Future

April 23, 2025

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The Technologies for Existing and Future Main Battle Tanks (FMBTech) project has been officially launched. This European project aims to revolutionise Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) for modern hybrid warfare. Coordinated by Thales, the initiative brings together a consortium of 26 companies from 13 European Union (EU) Member States and Norway.

Funded by the European Commission under the European Defence Fund (EDF, 2023 edition) and the consortium, this three-year initiative will develop modular and adaptable solutions to ensure readiness for diverse and complex battlefields. By using innovative technology bricks, the project aims to build a future of agile, intelligent, and cooperative MBTs to address the limitations of aging fleets in the EU and Norway.

FMBTech positions the EU at the forefront of advanced, cutting-edge defence technologies, reinforcing military innovation and collaboration within European defence. The project will enhance the effectiveness, safety, and cost-efficiency of both existing and future MBTs, ensuring they remain pivotal assets on the battlefield while bridging the gap to emerging 5th-generation capabilities.

About FMBTech
A European Consortium with 26 participating entities, FMBTech features 8 SMEs and 7 RTOs from 13 EU Member States and Norway.

The FMBTech project was selected by the European Commission for funding under the European Defence Fund (EDF) in 2023. The project has been allocated a total budget of €19 million.

The EDF is the Commission’s instrument for supporting research and development actions in the defence sector. Its main objectives are to foster cooperation between companies, including SMEs, and Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs) throughout the Union, to promote the development of defence capabilities through investment, and to help EU companies develop advanced and interoperable defence technologies and equipment.

The partners are:

• THALES SIX GTS FRANCE SAS France
• ARQUUS France
• C&V CONSULTING Belgium
• CY4GATE SPA Italy
• ENVIRONICS OY Finland
• EIGHT BELLS HELLAS I.K.E Greece
• GMV AEROSPACE AND DEFENCE SA Spain
• GUARDIARIS RACUNALNISKE APLIKACIJE IN SIMULACIJE D.O.O Slovenia
• HENSOLDT FRANCE SAS France
• ISD AEROSPACE LIMITED Ireland
• MBDA FRANCE France
• MSM LAND SYSTEMS S.R.O Slovakia
• KNDS France
• OSRODEK BADAWCZO-ROZWOJOWY URZADZEN MECHANICZNYCH OBRUM SP. Z O.O. Poland
• POLITECNICO DI MILANO Italy
• SAFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE France
• SAVOX COMMUNICATIONS OY Finland
• SCERTAS GMBH Germany
• SKYLD SECURITY AND DEFENCE LIMITED Cyprus
• SOPRA STERIA AS Norway
• TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY Finland
• THALES ITALIA SPA Italy
• VETRONICS RESEARCH CENTRE EU LTD Cyprus
• VOJENSKÝ VÝZKUMNÝ ÚSTAV SP Czech Republic
• WOJSKOWA AKADEMIA TECHNICZNA IM. JAROSLAWA DABROWSKIEGO Poland
• WOJSKOWY INSTYTUT TECHNIKI PANCERNEJ I SAMOCHODOWEJ Poland

Source : Thales