KNDS Ramps Up Leopard 2A8 and RCH 155 Production at Kassel
Envanter Rapid News
KNDS said it is ramping up production of the Leopard 2A8 main battle tank and the RCH 155 wheeled howitzer at its Kassel plant, with a group order backlog of 33.1 billion euros.
- Kassel: one of KNDS’s two largest German sites
- Products: Leopard 2A8 turret systems and RCH 155 howitzer
- 2025 revenue: 4.4 billion euros; backlog: 33.1 billion euros
- Supplies more than 40 armies, 24 of them European
German-French defense group KNDS announced on 21 July 2026 that it is expanding production of two core land systems at its Kassel site in Germany: the turret systems of the Leopard 2A8 main battle tank and the RCH 155 wheeled howitzer with its fully automated gun module.
Kassel, alongside Munich, is one of KNDS’s two largest German manufacturing centers. The group employs nearly 11,000 people; 2025 revenue was 4.4 billion euros, and its order backlog stood at 33.1 billion euros as of 31 December 2025.
RCH 155 and Leopard 2A8
The RCH 155 features a fully automated Artillery Gun Module that KNDS calls ‘technologically unique within the system.’ The wheeled platform answers the modern demand for artillery with high mobility.
The Leopard 2A8, the latest version of the Leopard 2 family, sits at the center of many European armies’ modernization plans. KNDS supplies more than 40 armies, 24 of them European.
A Post-Ukraine Production Tempo
The expansion is part of Europe’s post-Ukraine drive to grow land-systems capacity. CEO Florian Hohenwarter stressed that Europe’s security ‘can no longer be assumed’ and that ‘a new pace and a new dimension of cooperation’ are needed.
German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said ‘KNDS stands for German mechanical engineering, automation, high technology and networking.’ The capacity increase supports NATO and European interoperability.
Why It Matters
Europe’s expansion of tank and howitzer output directly affects the continent’s deterrence balance and NATO’s eastern flank. It is also a trend worth watching from Turkey, whose Altay tank and indigenous howitzer programs ride the same modernization wave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What stands out about the RCH 155?
It is a wheeled, highly mobile howitzer with a fully automated gun module.
How many armies does KNDS supply?
More than 40, of which 24 are European armed forces.
Sources
- Defence Industry Europe — birincil haber, 21 Temmuz 2026
- KNDS (üretici) — üretim kapasitesi ve sipariş defteri
