Rheinmetall plans to invest more than €260 million in its Kassel plant and the adjacent Kassel-Calden Airport, with Hesse contributing €25 million and total regional investment put at roughly €270 million. CEO Armin Papperger said Kassel would become Europe’s largest tank plant. The expansion covers tank production, a logistics center on a site exceeding 30,000 square meters and a drone testing center. The logistics center is expected to start operating at the end of 2027. Kassel employment is projected to rise from about 2,200 to 3,000 by 2029, while the combined workforce across both sites could eventually reach 3,500. The plans are supported by the Bundeswehr’s Arminius program for Boxer wheeled armored vehicles, with Rheinmetall estimating a potential initial order worth about €12.4 billion.