HISTORY OF KNDS

Following the successful rebranding, the formal renaming of the KNDS Group companies is now beginning. All changes are to be completed by the end of 2024.

KNDS, the merger of the German and French land defense systems providers Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Nexter, is harmonizing its brand image. In future, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, Nexter and their subsidiaries will appear exclusively under the single brand KNDS. KNDS is thus underlining its claim of being a driving force in the necessary consolidation of the European industry for military land systems. So far, the industry has been characterized by numerous national manufacturers with a wide range of products and systems. Their consolidation and joint strategic governance will make a significant contribution to the standardization of land forces in Europe and the other customers of Europe’s defense industry.

The site of Roanne is preparing to take up a considerable challenge: to reach a production rate of 450 vehicles per year by 2025, which is three times more than today. To do this, Nexter launched the NextFab plan in 2018, an ambitious transformation and modernization plan, with an investment of 62 million euros over five years. The program foresees an adaptation of the industrial surfaces for: increase new production capacities, improve the industrial plan of prototypes and track testing activity, increase and industrialize the repair / MRO activity, increase tertiary staff capacities, address the growth of logistics activities.

On September 30, 2021, Czech Defense Minister Lubomír Metnar signed in Prague a contract for the acquisition of 52 CAESAR self-propelled artillery guns in an eight-wheel drive (8x8) version, in the presence of French Minister of Armed Forces Florence Parly and Nicolas Chamussy, CEO of Nexter. With this major order, the Czech Republic becomes the third European customer and the seventh user of the CAESAR in the world.

On August 17 and 18, 2021, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann presented a world deput to the public during a demonstration at the Klietz military training area. The RCH 155, a 155-mm wheeled howitzer system, demonstrated live firing on the move for the first time. This makes it the first system in the world to demonstrate this capability. The weapon system combines the Artillery Gun Module (AGM) developed by KMW - which is a fully automatic gun turret - with the chassis of the BOXER wheeled vehicle.

Projekt System & Management GmbH (PSM), a joint venture of Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, has signed a contract with the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment (BAAINBw) to retrofit 154 PUMA infantry fighting vehicles in service with the Bundeswehr. The contract also covers logistical services such as special tools and replacement parts as well as the design of additional capability upgrades.

In line with the roadmap for the sustainability and renovation of the Leclerc main battle tank, the French Ministry of Defense has renewed its confidence in Nexter by reconducting the support contract, extended to include the treatment of major obsolescence and the renovation of the first 50 tanks. The launch of these operations comes at a crucial pivotal time, when the doctrines of many countries, including France, are reaffirming the central role of the heavy tank as the main mean of tactical superiority on land, in a context marked by the foreseeable return of high-intensity conflicts.

The Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) has commissioned Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) to supply additional Leguan bridge laying systems to the German Army. The contract covers 24 Leguan systems on the Leopard 2 chassis, training simulators, ancillary equipment and transport systems. The bridge layers are expected to be delivered to the Bundeswehr between 2023 and 2028.

KMW, Rheinmetall and Nexter agreed under the legal form of an “Arbeitsgemeinschaft” (ARGE) on a collaboration with the aim of implementing the first phase of the ambitious Franco-German battle tank programme MGCS (Main Ground Combat System). This phase will start with the “System Architecture Definition Study – Part 1” (SADS Part 1). The partners and the German Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw), acting in the name of Germany and France, have signed the contract for the SADS Part 1. This contract sounds the industrial starting gun for an MGCS Demonstration Phase.

The major objectives of this study are to align the operational visions relating to this future combat system, to define a joint system engineering management plan and to identify architecture candidates. The study itself consists of nine major work packages, six of which will be managed by Nexter and KMW. The results of this architectural study, complemented by Technological Demonstrators (TD) will provide the foundation for the development of a corresponding Full System Demonstrator (FSD), expected in the next few years.

The Artec consortium, led by Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW), has signed a contract with the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) to produce more than 500 Boxer 8x8-wheeled armoured vehicles for the British Army. The total current value of the order is approximately €2.6 billion (£2.3 billion). The contract has been awarded to Artec via the European procurement agency Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR). The contract awarded to Artec falls under the UK’s Mechanised Infantry Vehicle (MIV) procurement programme and includes more than 500 vehicles. Artec will each sub-contract 50% of the order volume to Rheinmetall and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann. The total number of Boxer vehicles already delivered by Artec or currently on order now exceeds 1,400 vehicles. The Boxer vehicles ordered by the British Army will be supplied in several different configurations, including an armoured personnel carrier, command vehicle, specialist carrier and field ambulance. Delivery of the vehicles is expected to start from 2023.

To modernize and renew its combat capabilities, France is launching the SCORPION program, which aims to create a tactical combat system capable of performing all the operational missions of the French army. The joint venture formed by Nexter, Arquus and Thales is mandated by the DGA (the French Defense Procurement Agency) to design and produce the Armored Reconnaissance and Combat Vehicle, JAGUAR, and the Multi-role armored vehicle, GRIFFON. The delivery of the first six GRIFFON to the French Army, in the presence of the French Minister of Armed Forces, Florence Parly and the Chief of staff of the French Army, Jean-Pierre Bosser, marks a major step in the realization of the SCORPION program.
 

The DGA (the French Defense Procurement Agency) notified Nexter of the contract for the Motorized Capacity program (CaMo) intended to equip the Belgian Army with armored vehicles. This market is entrusted to several contractors, with Nexter Group as a main. As an architect and system integrator of 100% of the French Army combat vehicles, Nexter is thus at the center of this strategic partnership between Belgium and France and contributes to the construction of the Europe of Defense. Nexter relies on two strategic French subcontractors, Arquus and Thales, as well as Belgian manufacturers, including FN Herstal and CMI. Strategic partnership between the French and Belgian armed forces, CaMo is a concrete example of European defense construction.

NATO and EU member state Hungary is modernizing its land forces and seeking a European alliance for its equipment. As part of this modernization process, Hungary signed a contract for the procurement of 44 new Leopard 2 A7+ main battle tanks and 24 new PzH 2000 howitzers with German defense technology company Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) on December 19th, 2018. In addition, Hungary is procuring 12 used Leopard 2 A4 main battle tanks from KMW’s inventories for training purposes.

A respectful and cooperative collaboration as well as the conscious consideration of social responsibility and legal compliance form the basis for the longterm success of a company. The Compliance Officers of KNDS, KMW and Nexter, in collaboration with the management boards of all three companies, have developed a common ethics charter that establishes the standards that guide the ethical conduct of the Group. With this Ethics Charter, the KNDS Group expresses its desire to universally behave toward its customers, shareholders, service providers and all other stakeholders with whom it has a relationship in a manner that is driven by its values and principles.

Download Ethics Charter

When Eurosatory opened its doors in June 2018, an exceptional battle tank sat on display at the KMW and Nexter joint stand. This hybrid, by the name of EMBT, created from the hull of the LEOPARD 2 and the turret of the Leclerc, quickly drew interest from numerous trade fair visitors. As the first joint step towards the European Main Battle Tank (EMBT), this new tank demonstrates, above all, successful cooperation between the KMW and Nexter teams. From a common idea, in just 15 months, they developed a functional demonstrator. Which impressively displayed its mobility and accuracy at a test site.

Composed of proven and tested technologies, the EMBT is a short-term response to the operational need of the market for high-intensity battle tanks. The hull, engine and entire chassis comes from the Leopard 2 A7 and were modified to host the compact and light turret with automatic loading from the Leclerc. By assembling a chassis, which is certified to MLC70 and a light turret operated by only 2 crew members instead of 3 the EMBT brings together the best in the battle tank state of the art, with an exceptional growth potential (roughly 6t) which allows to integrate many evolutions. The demonstrator illustrates the progress of the integration of KNDS, whose combined skills make it the legitimate and essential industrial actor of the Franco-German future program for the tank (MGCS).

The European Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR) and the Lithuanian Ministry of Defence have commissioned ARTEC GmbH, a joint venture between Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) and Rheinmetall, to supply 88 high-protection BOXER vehicles to the Lithuanian army. Production will be carried out by ARTEC's two parent companies. 53 vehicles will be manufactured by KMW and 35 by Rheinmetall.

Only a few months after the founding of KNDS, KMW and Nexter successfully presented themselves together at the world's most important defense technology trade fair of the year, Eurosatory 2016. For the first time, KMW and Nexter employees worked together on a challenging project that also received enormous public attention. This laid the foundation for a convincing collaboration.

After all required approvals have been obtained, KMW and Nexter have completed their association on 15 December 2015. From now on, two of the leading European manufacturers of military land systems based in France and Germany will operate jointly under the umbrella of a holding company under Dutch law with headquarters in Amsterdam. This was not only the beginning of cooperation, but also of growing together.

As announced in July 2014, Nexter and KMW, two of Europe’s leading manufacturers of military land defense systems, intend to share their road ahead. The merger was called "Project Kant" and was planned as a step-by-step approach. After intense negotiations between the two companies and the French and German governments, the corresponding agreement was signed on 29 July 2015 in Paris.