Germany Has Unveiled The ‘World’s Most Powerful’ Tank With Triple Threat Firepower

The triple-gunned EMBT ADT140 is a formidable addition to the world of main battle tanks (MBTs) thanks to a ground-breaking German-French partnership. This tank, which will be on display at the 2024 Eurosatory defense expo in Paris, is the product of cooperation between KNDS, a partnership between Nexter and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann of France.

With Krauss-Maffei Wegmann’s experience from creating the well-known Leopard 2 MBT and Nexter’s work on the deadly LeClerc MBT, KNDS offers great expertise to the table. The EMBT ADT140, with its weaponry and cutting-edge technologies, carries that legacy.

At the heart of the EMBT ADT140 is its enormous 140mm main gun, a significant upgrade from the global standard of 120/125mm. This powerful weapon can be replaced with a lesser 120mm cannon if necessary. In addition to the main weapon, the tank has a coaxial 20mm cannon and an automated 30mm cannon positioned on the turret. On top of the main turret is a mini-turret housing a 7.62mm machine gun.

The tank’s chassis is based on the Leopard 2 but still has seven road wheels. Nexter’s 140mm main gun can be found in the ASCALON Demonstrator Turret (ADT) 140mm, which is operated by an unmanned turret and has automatic loading. In addition, the EMBT ADT140 has an active defense system that can neutralize opposing rockets, anti-tank missiles, and standard armor.

With cutting-edge technologies integrated, the tank offers cyber capabilities, sensor fusion, artificial intelligence (AI), and hybrid energy applications. While details are still unknown, these features mark a significant advancement in military technology.

The Main Combat Ground System (MCGS) plan—an initiative that France and Germany jointly launched in 2017 to develop a shared tank for both armies—was responsible for developing the EMBT ADT140. Despite its slow progress, the program intends to create a flexible and resilient MBT.

More testing of the 140mm gun will take place while the tank is operating, and testing of the cannon has already taken place outside the turret. This larger gun fires a more powerful round than what is currently standard in the event of future encounters with more shielded enemy tanks. However, due to its small interior volume, the tank can only hold about thirty rounds of ammo.

The varied armament of the EMBT ADT140 has several uses. The enemy’s trucks, troops and other soft-skinned targets are the intended targets of the 20mm cannon, while the enemy’s fighting vehicles and trench-dwelling infantry are the primary goals of the 30mm gun. The ability to employ proximity fuses on the rounds of the 30mm rifle makes them useful against drones.

With its range of guns, the EMBT ADT140 is poised to engage and destroy a wide array of targets, adapting to the evolving warspace where both conventional and novel threats, such as drones, are ever-present.