Lithuania to assemble 41 Leopard 2A8 tanks following new agreement with Germany.

On December 11, 2025, Lithuania finalized a combined procurement and industrial cooperation agreement with KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Landsysteme to assemble up to 41 Leopard 2A8 tanks locally in Kaunas.

On December 11, 2025, Lithuania finalized a combined procurement and industrial cooperation agreement with KNDS Deutschland to assemble up to 41 Leopard 2A8 tanks locally in Kaunas. The framework integrates vehicle delivery, industrial assembly, workforce training, and long-term maintenance, with all tanks scheduled for delivery by the end of 2030.
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The Leopard 2A8 possesses an improved 120 mm/L55 A1 smoothbore gun able to fire programmable munitions, such as the DM11, against targets including lightly armored vehicles, infantry, and fortifications.  (Picture source: KNDS Deutschland)

Lithuania's decision brings together tank procurement, industrial cooperation, workforce training, and maintenance planning within a single framework designed to shorten delivery timelines and anchor armored vehicle support capabilities inside the country. Agreements were concluded with KNDS Deutschland and Rheinmetall Landsysteme, alongside the state-owned energy group EPSO-G, positioning Lithuania Defense Services (LDS) as the core entity responsible for implementing the project. The initiative is presented as both a military capability step and an industrial development measure, with local assembly, repair, and technical readiness treated as integral components rather than follow-on activities.

The industrial component centers on the construction of a Leopard 2A8 assembly plant in the Kaunas Free Economic Zone, where Lithuania Defense Services will act as the subcontracted operator under contract with KNDS Deutschland. The facility is planned to assemble up to 41 Leopard 2A8 tanks locally, a measure intended to accelerate deliveries while creating a permanent production and sustainment footprint. Alongside assembly, a separate availability-related agreement covers the training of skilled personnel for manufacturing and maintenance tasks, as well as the provision of logistical support for a five-year period starting after delivery of the first system. Lithuania Defense Services is tasked not only with assembling tanks, but also with long-term maintenance, repair, and technical readiness of the Leopard 2A8 fleet and other Lithuanian Armed Forces equipment. The same industrial base is expected, over time, to be capable of supporting the German brigade stationed in Lithuania and potentially additional armored vehicle fleets.

Ownership and financing arrangements are structured to integrate state participation with industrial partners. It is planned that 25.1 percent of Lithuania Defense Services (LDS) will be transferred to EPSO-G Invest, a subsidiary of the state-owned energy group EPSO-G, with detailed cooperation terms scheduled to be finalized during 2026. Lithuania Defense Services has indicated planned investment of about €50 million in the Kaunas project, with employment projections ranging from roughly 80 to around 100 jobs as operations ramp up toward 2028. The Ministry of the Economy and Innovation granted the initiative major investment project status, a designation intended to streamline administrative procedures and accelerate implementation. Lithuanian officials also linked EPSO-G’s involvement to broader resilience planning, noting that the group is already engaged in a separate 155 mm artillery ammunition production effort alongside other strategic companies.

This industrial step is directly tied to Lithuania’s Leopard 2A8 acquisition path, which has been pursued through a German-led cooperative procurement framework. In May 2024, Lithuania joined the Leopard 2 Cooperative Procurement Arrangement together with Germany, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands, expressing the intent to acquire the latest Leopard 2A8 tanks along with driver training tanks, combat support vehicles, and crew training simulators. The framework allows participating countries to align with Germany’s preliminary contracts and procure standardized equipment under the same conditions. A follow-on contract for the main battle tanks was signed in December 2024, initially associated with a delivery window spanning 2029 to 2034. The updated agreement, which incorporates industrial cooperation and local assembly, revises this schedule so that all tanks for the Lithuanian Armed Forces are to be delivered by the end of 2030.

The revised timeline places local industrial activity at the center of Lithuania’s force development. According to the agreed planning, the first Leopard 2A8 assembled in Lithuania is expected to roll out in early 2028, with the remaining tanks completed by 2030. Lithuania is described as the first country to formally join the Common Procurement Agreement for Leopard 2A8 tanks, while the broader cooperative framework has expanded to include additional European participants, with combined orders reaching several hundred vehicles. For Lithuania, the program represents the introduction of main battle tanks into its inventory for the first time, marking a structural shift in force composition that is closely connected to NATO standardization and to the permanent deployment of allied forces on Lithuanian territory.

The Leopard 2A8 itself is the latest production variant of the long-running Leopard 2 tank (in production since 1978), and reflects cumulative updates in protection, sensors, and vehicle systems. The tank retains a four-person crew and combines enhanced passive armor with an active protection system commonly referred to as Trophy or EuroTrophy, providing all-around coverage against threats such as anti-tank guided missiles and rocket-propelled grenades, with some configurations also addressing drone-related risks. Structural protection has been reinforced in areas such as the turret roof and underbelly, and mine protection is integrated into the design. The primary armament is an improved 120 mm L55A1 smoothbore gun capable of firing a wide range of modern ammunition, including programmable rounds intended for use against infantry, field fortifications, and lightly armored targets. Secondary armament includes a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun, with optional equipment such as remotely controlled weapon stations and laser warning systems referenced as part of the configuration set.

The Leopard 2A8 is powered by an MTU MB 873 Ka-501 12-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, rated at around 1,500 horsepower, paired with a Renk HSWL 354 automatic transmission with four forward and two reverse gears, enabling road speeds typically cited between 65 and 70 km/h and an operational range of roughly 400 to 450 km depending on configuration and equipment. The Leopard 2A8’s hull has a length of about 8,050 mm, and with the main gun forward, it measures approximately 11,170 mm. The tank’s width is about 3,600 mm, and its height is around 3,130 mm to the top of the turret, while the 2A8's combat weight is cited at around 69,500 kg. The tank integrates third-generation thermal sights for commander and gunner, a digital fire control system with laser rangefinder and ballistic computer, and crew-support systems including cooling, heating, NBC overpressure protection, and comprehensive fire suppression. Finally, an auxiliary power unit, cited at around 20 kW, allows onboard systems to operate with the main engine shut down.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.