KNDS and RITEK, a Norwegian specialist in the service and maintenance of vehicle systems, have opened a new production facility for the LEOPARD 2A8NO in Levanger, Norway. Production is scheduled to begin in autumn 2026. A state-of-the-art, integrated production and testing infrastructure was created in Levanger, Norway, in just 18 months. The facility includes specialized test tracks such as a laser track, steep slopes, and a diving pool, and has a capacity of up to 36 tanks per year. Sustainability plays a central role: Energy is supplied by geothermal sources, thus guaranteeing sustainable operation.
“Together with our partner RITEK, we have built a production line without delay, from which the LEOPARD 2A8NO systems will be supplied to the Norwegian Army. This not only fulfills our contract with a key customer, but the Levanger site is also of great importance to us with regard to scaling our production capacities,” says Florian Hohenwarter, CEO of KNDS Deutschland.
In February 2023, Norway ordered 54 Leopard 2A7 tanks (later changed to 2A8 variant) to be delivered from 2026, with a further option for 18 vehicles if necessary. A total of 37 of the 54 LEOPARD 2A8NO main battle tanks for the Norwegian Army are manufactured here, significantly increasing both national and European defense capabilities. Almost simultaneously, on April 30, 2026, the first two Leopard 2 A8 NO were delivered to the Norwegian Army. A total of 17 of the 54 systems are being manufactured by KNDS. All remaining Leopard 2 A8 NO will be produced on the newly opened production line in Levanger.
The Leopard 2A8 will be based on the current Leopard 2A7HU production model but feature additional improvements; among them the integration of the Trophy active protection system and an all-round situational awareness system with sensor-fusion capability. A variety of Norwegian changes and alterations necessitated the renaming of the original 2A7NO into a unique new 2A8 NOR variant. This sub-variant mainly differs from the German 2A8 by integrating a Norwegian-designed C4IS-solution that includes Kongsberg’s ICS/CORTEX-solution and Teleplan Globe’s FACNAV and NorBMS battlefield management systems.
