Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapons have been delivered to the Kosovo Security Force, confirming the completion of a previously approved transfer and reinforcing its ground combat capabilities amid ongoing regional security tensions.
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Kosovo Security Force Takes Delivery of German Panzerfaust 3 Anti-Tank Weapons.
On 22 December 2025, Anadolu Agency reported that the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) is to be equipped with German-made Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapons, a transfer confirmed by acting Minister of Defence Ejup Maqedonci in Pristina. The Albanian Post and Telegrafi later detailed that the Ministry of Defence has completed the procurement procedures with Germany, underlining that the weapons are already bought and now only await transport and handover. Subsequent local reporting indicates that Kosovo has now officially taken delivery of the Panzerfaust 3 systems from Germany, within the framework of their bilateral defence cooperation. The transfer is presented by the authorities in Pristina as a concrete step in the modernisation of the Kosovo Security Force and its alignment with Euro-Atlantic standards, at a time when security dynamics in the Western Balkans remain fragile and under close international scrutiny.
Germany’s delivery of Panzerfaust 3 anti-tank weapons to Kosovo strengthens the Kosovo Security Force’s infantry defense capability and underscores Pristina’s push toward Euro-Atlantic military standards amid ongoing Western Balkans security concerns (Picture Source: Landesgruppe Brandenburg / Dynamit Nobel Defence)
According to Maqedonci’s brief statement to local media, “they have already been purchased and it remains to be transported to us soon”, signalling that the contractual phase has been finalised and that the Panzerfaust 3 is now entering the implementation and delivery phase for Kosovo. The different reports converge on several core elements: the weapon is a portable anti-tank system designed to be operated by a single soldier, produced in Germany by Dynamit Nobel Defence, and intended primarily to defeat tanks, armoured vehicles and fortified positions. For the KSF, which is in the midst of a long-term transition from a light security force to a more robust defence structure, the arrival of a modern shoulder-launched anti-tank weapon fills a critical capability gap, complementing existing light anti-armour means and future stocks of Javelin missiles already ordered from the United States.
From a technical standpoint, the Panzerfaust 3 is a semi-disposable, recoilless, shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenade launcher with a 60 mm launch tube and a 110 mm warhead. The system consists of a disposable launch canister pre-loaded with the projectile and a reusable firing and sighting unit that can be detached and mounted on a new round after each shot. In its latest configurations, the launcher weighs roughly 15 kg ready to fire, measures around one metre in length and offers an effective combat range typically from around 15 to 300 metres against moving targets and up to 600 metres against static ones when paired with the improved IT-600 sight. The warheads are based on shaped-charge technology and exist in several variants, including a tandem hollow-charge projectile designed to overcome explosive reactive armour and a “Bunkerfaust” variant optimised for urban combat and hardened structures. The recoilless counter-mass principle, using plastic granulate in the rear of the tube, allows the Panzerfaust 3 to be fired from enclosed spaces, a key advantage in urban and mountainous environments similar to many areas of Kosovo.
The development of the Panzerfaust 3 dates back to the late 1970s, when West Germany sought a successor to the Panzerfaust 44 and Carl Gustaf systems that could reliably defeat contemporary Soviet armour. Concept definition started in 1978, the first prototypes were tested in the early 1980s, and low-rate production began in 1987. Officially introduced into Bundeswehr service in the early 1990s, the system has since been exported to a number of European and Asian countries and has seen operational use in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and, more recently, Ukraine, where it has been employed against Russian armoured vehicles and fortifications. Continuous evolution led to successive variants such as the Panzerfaust 3-T with a tandem warhead and the Panzerfaust 3-IT-600 with an advanced computer-assisted sight, bringing engagement ranges against static targets out to roughly 600 metres and improving hit probability in complex terrain. This long operational history gives Kosovo access not only to a tested piece of equipment, but also to a body of NATO and partner experience on employment, training and doctrine.
The Panzerfaust 3 gives KSF infantry a flexible tool to counter armoured threats at short and medium ranges without relying solely on heavier, more expensive guided missiles. The system can be carried by individual soldiers in small squads and used from firing positions that would be inaccessible to bulkier anti-tank guided missiles, including upper floors, basements or improvised battle positions in built-up areas. The tandem warhead, designed to trigger explosive reactive armour with a precursor charge before the main shaped charge hits the underlying armour, restores lethality against tanks equipped with modern protection suites. In Kosovo’s scenario, where any potential crisis would likely combine rugged rural terrain with dense urban zones, the ability to engage both armoured vehicles and hardened firing points with the same weapon gives platoon- and company-level commanders greater freedom of manoeuvre and more credible deterrent options. When combined with forthcoming Javelin deliveries for longer-range and top-attack engagements, Panzerfaust 3 rounds are likely to form the backbone of a layered anti-armour concept at the level of KSF manoeuvre units.
The arrival of Panzerfaust 3 fits into a broader pattern of Kosovo’s defence investments that has drawn attention in neighbouring Serbia and across the region. As Telegrafi has pointed out, Pristina has invested around 430 million euros in strengthening its armed units over the past four years and intends to double that figure to approximately 1 billion euros in the next four-year period, with a defence budget of 207.8 million euros allocated for the current year. While the financial value of the Panzerfaust 3 contract has not been made public, officials emphasise that it is part of a long-term modernisation programme carried out in cooperation with Euro-Atlantic partners and in line with the transformation of the KSF into a modern, professional force.
For Germany, the delivery of such equipment is a visible demonstration of political support for Kosovo’s security and a way to anchor Pristina more firmly in Western defence networks, at a time when the Balkans remain exposed to tensions, disinformation campaigns and occasional flare-ups along the line of contact with Serbia. The presence of a credible, modern infantry anti-tank capability also complicates any planning by potential adversaries who might be tempted to use armoured forces as an instrument of pressure.
The confirmed purchase and imminent delivery of the Panzerfaust 3 marks a qualitative step in the KSF’s ability to defend its territory against armoured and mechanised threats, while also sending a clear political signal of deepening defence ties between Pristina and Berlin. By combining a proven German system with ongoing investments in training, doctrine and complementary capabilities, Kosovo is moving from a symbolic force posture towards one that can field practical, multi-layered defensive options on the ground. The effectiveness of this new capability will ultimately depend on how quickly the KSF integrates the weapon into its units, develops realistic live-fire training and embeds it in a coherent concept of operations, but the strategic message is already clear: armoured coercion against Kosovo would now face a more costly and uncertain battlefield.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.