New MBTs are anachronisms even before they reach the market.

Fossil fuel dependency and climate change are paramount security concerns

Nearly every other day the secretary-general of the UN urges the world to fulfill the Paris 2015 climate agreement to avoid a catastrophe. Again countries all over the world, notably in Spain and France, have experienced record breaking and dangerous temperatures in recent weeks. Scientist express concerns that the rise of 2 degrees will not be curbed. Meanwhile we are paying Putin billions for his oil and gas, keeping his war machine running. Did this in some way affect the Paris Eurosatory 2022, the international exhibition for defense and security that was held from 13th to 17th of June?

New MBT's are anachronisms even before they reach the market 

Only so far that the war in Ukraine gave cause for concern and that the rise of the defense budgets was welcomed. But apart from that it was business as usual. And by doing so the defense industry wrong footed itself. A stark example was the unveiling by German company Rheinmetall of its new main battle tank (MBT): the KF 51. It is supposed to compete with the new E-MBT developed by the French company Nexter and German company Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann. Both eyeing the replacement of current European MBTs.

New MBTs will undoubtedly field better fighting capabilities then their predecessors. But will they survive the battleground against emerging light and low-cost anti-tanks weapons? Experts argue about the military future of the MBT, the outcome still uncertain. On first sight new MBTs do not differ substantially from their predecessors. They are mighty and heavy, and will, like current MBTs, weigh 60 tons plus. Running 4 to 1 (ltr/km) they need a fuel tank of 1200 ltrs or more to be effective. 

However, the EU sets for a carbon neutral continent in 2050; that will be halfway the operational lifetime of a new MBT. Does the military and the defense industry quite arrogantly assume that EU-policies don't affect them: that they will have a free pass? And even when they are allowed to do so, how are they going to organize logistics when the fossil fuel industry and its infrastructure are almost gone? Of course they can fall back on alternative drop-in fuels. But they too will be scarce and extremely expensive. Getting fuel supplies to the front line will be even more hazardous than today as storage and trucks will increasingly become high value targets. Taking out Russian fuel supplies has already now successfully slowed down the invaders. 

Radical new solutions are needed to replace current MBTs

Trying to market a new fossil fuel behemoth whilst we are in the middle of a fossil fuel crises and climate change is of paramount concern, is fooling yourself. Dear employees of Rheinmetall, Nexter and KMW, thank you for your efforts and commitment to provide our military with the best equipment. But realise that when the future of the current MBTs are on the agenda, the KF 51 and the E-MBT are not an option anymore. Apart from the discussion of its military effectiveness, we simply can't afford these fuel guzzling monsters any longer. Not from a logistics point of view nor because of our efforts to stop climate change.

Devote your talent and money to develop new systems that provide the necessary fire power but are on the same time light, fast, agile, difficult to spot and to hit. And use only a fraction of the energy of current MBT's. Perhaps take an example of the American GXV-T program that tries to do that. It's a challenge, but the only way forward.

foto: Rheinmetall KF 51