On Wednesday, 19 November 2025, at the facilities of the German company KNDS Deutschland (part of the German-French joint venture KNDS) in Munich, Bavaria, a public presentation was held showcasing one example each of the first serially produced Leopard 2A8 tanks for the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Kingdom of Norway.
German Leopard 2A8 / Photos: Bundeswehr
At the event, attended by Germany’s Federal Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius, Norway’s Secretary of State at the Ministry of Defence Marte Gerhardsen, and Bavaria’s Minister-President Markus Söder, the first example of the modernized 155 mm PzH 2000 A4 self-propelled howitzer for Germany was also unveiled.
German Defence Minister Pistorius emphasized in his speech in Munich: “It is a good day for the Bundeswehr and for security in Europe. We are living in times shaped by crises and conflicts. These times demand more armament and growth.” Time was of the essence, he said. Decisions needed to be made faster, growth accelerated, and new systems delivered more quickly. The Bundeswehr faced major challenges in light of the security situation. “But we are no longer merely describing these circumstances or debating suitable terms — no, we are taking action,” Pistorius stressed.
Although KNDS Deutschland is delivering new Leopard 2A7HU tanks to Hungary, in the case of the Bundeswehr the vehicle presented is the first brand-new (that is, built from scratch) Leopard 2 since 1992, when the last 2A4s from the eighth production batch were delivered (as opposed to the recently rebuilt and upgraded Leopard 2A7A1 and Leopard 2A7V). It is worth noting that the starting point for the Leopard 2A8 design was the aforementioned 2A7HU and 2A7A1.
Germany has so far ordered 123 Leopard 2A8s, with deliveries scheduled for 2027–2030, but Minister Pistorius emphasized during his speech in Munich that an additional 75 vehicles will be contracted next year. The Bundeswehr currently operates around 321 Leopard 2s in the 2A5, 2A6, and 2A7 versions, which, interestingly, are to be upgraded to the 2A8 standard. This means the Bundeswehr is expected to field approximately 519 vehicles (according to press reports from July this year, Friedrich Merz’s government was reportedly interested in acquiring/fielding as many as 1,000 Leopard 2A8 and 2AX tanks – editor’s note).
Norway, for its part, has ordered 54 Leopard 2A8NO tanks, whose series final assembly is to take place at the Norwegian Ritek facility in Levanger. Interestingly, the German and Norwegian Leopard 2A8s presented differ slightly from each other, reflecting customer-specific requirements. The German vehicle received a domestic laser-warning system, whereas the Norwegian one is equipped with its Israeli counterpart.
Moreover, Norway places greater emphasis on reducing combat weight, which is why, unlike the German Bundeswehr, it opted not to install heavy side skirts. The underbelly mine-protection system, although technically integrable, has not (yet) been applied. In addition, the electronic architecture of the German vehicle is aligned with the new D-LBO (Digitalisation of Land-Based Operations) battlefield-management framework, while the Leopard 2A8NO is equipped with Norway’s Kongsberg ICS/CORTEX (Integrated Combat System / Command and Control, Battle Management & Situational Awareness) communication and battle-management suite.
The baseline Leopard 2A8 is equipped with the Israeli Trophy HV hard-kill Active Protection System (APS) and has a combat weight of approximately 68–69.5 tonnes. The tank measures 8.05 m in length (11.17 m with the gun), 3.8 m in width, and either 2.72 m in height (turret roof) or 3.13 m (periscope).
The vehicle has received upgraded situational-awareness and communication systems, as well as a new fire-control system. The turret roof features reinforced armor to provide additional protection against submunitions from cluster munitions. In addition, the main armor has been replaced with third-generation multilayer composite armor made of high-hardness steel, tungsten, plastic filler, and ceramic elements.
Interestingly, there had originally been discussion of a new 1,600-hp powerpack (replacing the current 1,500-hp unit), supplied by the same manufacturer, MTU, paired with a hydropneumatic transmission from Renk. However, this has yet to be confirmed. The main armament remains the 120 mm Rh-120/L55A1 smoothbore gun, featuring an increased maximum chamber pressure from 670 to 700 MPa (compared to the older L44, which is 130 cm shorter). It is compatible with programmable DM11 ammunition, DM63/DM63A1 APFSDS rounds with a 4.6-kg penetrator measuring 26 mm in diameter and 685 mm in length, as well as the newest KE2020Neo APFSDS ammunition. Barrel life remains unchanged (1,500 rounds). The tank has also received a 20 kW auxiliary power unit (APU), replacing the 17 kW APU found in older variants.
The third vehicle presented is the upgraded PzH 2000 A4 155 mm self-propelled howitzer. The Bundeswehr is set to receive a total of 22 units, ordered in two batches of 10 and 12 guns. These will replace the shortfall resulting from the transfer of 18 howitzers to Ukraine in 2022.
The brand-new howitzers were scheduled to be delivered to the customer in 2025–2026. The purchase is financed under the 60th individual federal budget plan, which was approved by the Bundestag’s standing budget committee (Haushaltsausschuss).
As a reminder, of the 185 PzH 2000 howitzers delivered to the Bundeswehr between 1998 and 2002, 107 remained in operational service at the end of 2019. Sixteen systems from these stocks were sold to Croatia (2015–2016), and 21 to Lithuania (2018–2020). The remaining units were placed in storage, while individual examples were transferred to museums.
Finally, it is worth noting that, in addition to Germany and Norway, the countries that have so far decided to purchase Leopard 2A8 tanks are the Netherlands (46 units with an option for 6 more), Croatia (approx. 50 units), Lithuania (44 units), and the Czech Republic (58 units with an option for 14 more). Spain has also expressed interest in the Leopard 2A8—both in purchasing new tanks and modernizing its existing Leopard 2E fleet—as has Austria.
According to industry reports, the unit price of a Leopard 2A8 is approximately 20 million EUR.
Statement from Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems
As mentioned, the Leopard 2A8 has been equipped with the Israeli Trophy HV hard-kill Active Protection System (APS) as part of its standard factory configuration, integrated directly on the KNDS production line.
“This reflects a growing demand across Europe for field-proven active protection solutions that ensure crew survivability and freedom of maneuver in high-threat environments. Both contracts were executed through EuroTrophy GmbH, the Europeanjoint venture between Rafael, KNDS, and GDELS, responsible for the production of Trophy APS, coordinating European security of supply, and establishing long-term sustainment and lifecycle support,” – reads a press note.
“Trophy is the world’s only fully operational and combat-proven Active Protection System, with more than a decade of continuous service and thousands of successful real-world interceptions. With over 1,900 systems procured, Trophy has demonstrated exceptional reliability, zero fratricide, and unmatched performance in safe guarding armored formations against a wide spectrum of anti-armor threats.”
Meir Ben Tzook, VP and Head of RAFAEL’s Land Maneuver Systems Directorate, and Chairman of the Board of EuroTrophy GmbH, said:
“The roll-out of the Leopard 2 A8 marks an important milestone for Europe’s armored forces. We are proud that TROPHY has been selected as the active protection system for this new generation of tanks. As the world’s only operational and combat-proven APS, TROPHY has repeatedly shown its ability to protect crews and enable both wheeled and tracked vehicles to maneuver with confidence in the toughest battlefield conditions. Through EuroTrophy GmbH, our European joint venture, we remain fully committed to supporting our European partners with this life-saving capability, as well as with the industrial cooperation and long-term sustainment needed for its continued success.”
On 4 December 2024, EuroTrophy GmbH received an order from KNDS Deutschland for the delivery of Trophy HV (Heavy Vehicles) kits for the German Leopard 2A8 tanks. These kits were designated by Germany and Norway for the Leopard 2A8 on 6 September 2023.