The Soviet threat of the 1960s drove the US and West Germany into a joint main battle tank, MBT-70. This massive project was to be used to counter the Soviet state-of-the-art tank with technology in a 152mm gun/launcher and hydropneumatic suspension system.
However, the joint program was fraught with several challenges. The visions and requirements of the tank between the two countries were in disagreement, resulting in poor coordination and unresolved misalignments. The MBT-70 was to have futuristic features that would supersede the Soviet tanks, and the advanced technologies that these entailed remained untested and contributed to huge budget overruns from an initial estimate of $200,000 per unit. The price ballooned to $1 million per unit-a considerable 500% increase.
This became too ambitious, with too many new ideas and untested technologies associated with the project. Budget overruns led West Germany to abandon the project but the U.S. continued till 1971 when it finally had enough of the cost and canceled it. Both countries then went off to produce their tanks independently which ended in the famous Leopard 2 and M1 Abrams still working today.
Another issue is the number of tanks in the UK tank fleet. CR3, built to active use on refurbished CR2 hulls, is woefully insufficient for the demands of modern warfare. With only 148 tanks, it would be difficult to fight a long-term battle. Proponents of this argument seem to point out that the best one is an existing model already in service, such as the Leopard 2, which has already been battle-tested and is continuously improved upon.
The UK, most probably Scotland, can fill part of the tank shortage gap by building a Leopard 2 manufacturing facility. This region offers superb transport links, access to world-class research facilities, and skilled employment. Another key reason is that the region boasts a tank gunnery range and tank sight manufacturing expertise.
All parties benefit from this. The UK government might attract this investment for the economic benefits it would bring to Scotland. The Scottish government might open its doors to inward investment. To the Ministry of Defence and the British Army, it could be the lifeline to rapid expansion against greater threats. To the manufacturer of Leopard 2, KNDS, it would present a much-needed second production hub as it seeks to bypass export controls by the German government.
The MBT-70 project was a lesson in how high hopes of cooperation can lead to high failure costs, whereas the UK’s current tank problems require pragmatic and timely answers.