European defence group KNDS has reportedly booked 350 orders for the newly developed Leopard 2A8 main battle tank — the largest volume for any Leopard 2 variant since 1992.
The Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, the Netherlands, and Norway placed orders ahead of the tank’s public unveiling in late November in Munich. KNDS representatives say negotiations with additional buyers are underway, suggesting more orders may follow.
Germany has committed to 123 tanks, to begin arriving in 2027, with a further 75 planned. The first units are slated for deployment with German forces permanently based in Lithuania, underscoring NATO’s reinforced presence on its eastern front.
Lithuania and the Czech Republic are each procuring 44 tanks, with Prague adding 19 specialised support variants. Norway has ordered 54 Leopard 2A8s.
Equipped with the same 120mm smoothbore gun and dual 7.62mm machine guns and operated by a four-member crew, the Leopard 2A8 builds significantly on protection and battlefield resilience. It features the Trophy active protection suite for full-area defence against modern anti-tank threats and includes upgraded fire control and blast-resistant armour improvements.
