Germany plans to take 40% in Leopard tank maker KNDS, joining France as stakeholder

Germany plans to buy a 40% stake in KNDS (maker of Leopard and Leclerc tanks), joining France which already owns 50%.
The move is pitched as securing strategic influence, tech sovereignty and a stronger European defense industry amid Russia’s war in Ukraine and worries about U.S. predictability.
France and Germany agreed on governance steps toward equal shareholding and a possible near-term IPO for KNDS, which had €4.4B revenue last year and ~11,000 employees.