German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visited the KNDS Deutschland facility in Kassel on Tuesday to review the company’s expanding production capacity and discuss the role of the defence industry in strengthening Germany’s military readiness.

The visit formed part of the minister’s tour of military units and defence manufacturers, with discussions focusing on industrial expansion, technological innovation and workforce development. Pistorius toured production areas where KNDS manufactures turret systems for the Leopard 2 A8 main battle tank and the RCH 155 wheeled self-propelled howitzer, which incorporates the company’s fully automated Artillery Gun Module.

Speaking during the visit, Pistorius highlighted the importance of preserving Germany’s industrial expertise while increasing investment in advanced manufacturing. He said the country would require a combination of manned and unmanned systems across land, sea and air to meet future defence challenges. The minister also described KNDS as an important contributor to both Germany’s defence capabilities and the regional economy in northern Hesse.

KNDS Deutschland Chief Executive Officer Florian Hohenwarter said Europe’s changing security environment had increased the need for closer cooperation between government and industry. He said the company was investing in new technologies, digital manufacturing processes and expanded production capacity to meet growing demand for military land systems.

According to KNDS, the Kassel site plays a central role in developing and producing several of the company’s key programmes. Alongside its Munich operations, Kassel is one of the firm’s largest facilities and is expected to become an increasingly important manufacturing and innovation centre as production expands.

The company said it is also continuing to invest in research and development, with engineers at Kassel working on technologies intended for both current and future generations of armoured vehicles. KNDS aims to shorten the time required to move innovations from development into industrial production.

The production increase is part of a broader expansion across the company’s German sites. KNDS said it is scaling up manufacturing for several major programmes, including the Leopard 2 main battle tank, the Boxer 8×8 armoured vehicle and the Puma infantry fighting vehicle.

The company linked the expansion to the changing security landscape in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the resulting increase in defence spending by Germany and its allies. KNDS said its objective is to supply technologically advanced and mission-ready land systems while supporting the operational readiness of the Bundeswehr and partner armed forces.

The visit underscored the growing emphasis Germany is placing on strengthening its domestic defence industrial base as European governments continue to increase investment in military equipment and production capacity amid heightened security concerns.