KNDS and Tatra sign agreement on Czech production of Leopard 2A8 hulls

TD and KNDS Deutschland have signed a contract for the production of 150 Leopard 2A8 hulls in the Czech Republic. (KNDS)

Tatra Defence (TD), a member of the CSG Group, and KNDS Deutschland announced that they have signed a contract for the production of 150 hulls for the Leopard 2A8 main battle tank (MBT), with an option for up to 300 more.

In a 19 December press release, TD valued the contract in the hundreds of millions of euros, adding that “the order represents one of the most significant projects involving the Czech defence industry in key European defence programmes”.

TD said the project includes extensive transfer of know-how and major investments in manufacturing infrastructure in the Czech Republic and that it would be responsible for welding the hulls of Leopard 2A8 tanks and provide technological processes and quality control.

To execute the contract, the Czech company plans to create 300 new jobs in Kopřivnice and to build two new production halls and a new production line, with a high degree of robotisation and automation and equipped with modern machining centres. It plans to invest over CZK1 billion (USD48.2 million) in the long-term development of the manufacturing capabilities of the Czech defence industry.

Jan Marinov, CEO of CSG's defence division, said, “This contract confirms the long-term strategy of the CSG Group to systematically develop top-tier manufacturing capacities in the field of land defence technology.”