The European Commission has awarded the MARTE project a grant of approximately €20 million from the European Defence Fund (EDF). The initiative is backed by 11 Ministries of Defence from EU Member States and Norway, with Germany’s MoD in the lead.
A total of 51 entities from 12 countries are contributing to the consortium, combining industrial giants, mid-sized enterprises, research institutions, and SMEs. The project promotes cross-border collaboration and seeks to foster innovation through integrated expertise and shared experience.
“The MARTE project brings together complementary industrial partners including leading, large entities as well as MidCaps, research institutions and innovative Small and Medium Entities (SMEs),” stated MARTE ARGE. This broad cooperation reflects Europe’s strategic investment in its own defence capabilities amid increasing global instability.
The goal of the project is to develop a future MBT system that addresses both current and emerging threats while harmonising the operational requirements of participating nations. “By integrating innovative and disruptive technologies a resilient defense system is to be designed, tailored to the evolving challenges of modern warfare,” MARTE ARGE noted.
The consortium includes five leading defence companies—KNDS Deutschland GmbH & Co.KG, Rheinmetall Landsysteme GmbH, Leonardo SPA, Indra Sistemas SA, and SAAB AB—each responsible for one of the project’s five technical Work Packages. Project coordination is further supported by the consulting firm Erdyn.
Following the official start of the project on 1 December 2024, a successful Kick-Off Meeting took place on 5–6 December 2024 in Stockholm. This event brought together all partners and key stakeholders to initiate the collaborative effort.
MARTE is seen as a cornerstone initiative for European strategic autonomy, with its outcomes expected to shape the continent’s defence landscape for years to come.
