According to a statement published by the French Ministry of Armed Forces, the first agreement, signed between KNDS and the Ukrainian company KZVV, concerns the licensing and technology transfer for the production of 155mm artillery shells to the Ukrainian company.
The second deal, signed by KNDS and the Ukrainian company ENMEK, aims to establish an MRO center for CAESAR artillery systems operated by the Armed Forces of Ukraine. As part of this agreement, the Ukrainian industry is set to receive 3D printing technology to expedite the production of spare parts for howitzers, according to the French Ministry of Armed Forces.
In the presence of French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the chairman of the French-German defence industry conglomerate KNDS, Philippe Petitcolin, signed a letter of intent for the creation of KNDS Ukraine LLC, a Ukrainian subsidiary of the group.
KNDS is a leading European defence company, established by Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) of Germany and Nexter of France. KNDS designs and produces a wide range of defence systems, including main battle tanks such as the Leopard 2 and Leclerc, and armored combat vehicles like the Boxer and VBCI. KNDS is the largest European producer of 155mm artillery systems, with its product portfolio including the CAESAR and Panzerhaubitze 2000 howitzers.
