Germany is preparing for a sweeping military expansion by considering the production of up to 1,000 Leopard 2 main battle tanks and 2,500 Boxer armored personnel carriers – an exceptionally large number by European standards.
The estimated cost of this program could reach €25 billion (approximately $29.4 billion). According to anonymous sources cited by Bloomberg, Berlin aims to place these orders by the end of 2025, with deliveries extending through the end of the next decade.
Read more: Ukrainians Training on GTK Boxer in Germany Hints at Delays in RCH 155 Supplies
These vehicles are intended to equip seven newly formed brigades under a broader European effort to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank and deter russian aggression.
If approved, this would represent a significant boost to Europe’s defense capabilities. For comparison, the German military currently fields just over 300 Leopard 2 tanks (in A5, A6, and A7 variants) and around 330 Boxer APCs. The proposed expansion would more than triple Germany’s tank fleet and increase the number of Boxer vehicles more than sevenfold.
This initiative comes amid escalating russian hostilities and growing concerns – fueled in part by Donald Trump’s rhetoric, about the United States' reliability as a security guarantor for Europe. In response, many European nations are moving to rearm independently, launching large-scale militarization efforts.
The exact version of the Leopard 2 tank to be ordered has not been confirmed, but it is expected to be the most advanced A7 or A8 variants, as older versions are no longer in production. The Boxer, meanwhile, is considered a highly capable modern APC with excellent armor protection.
Notably, Germany recently placed orders for Boxer vehicles worth €3.9 billion and for the controversial Puma infantry fighting vehicle at a cost of €4.7 billion. These acquisitions form part of Berlin’s growing defense budget, which is projected to reach €86.5 billion in 2025 and rise to €153 billion by 2029.
Germany’s rearmament also includes an unprecedented €22 billion ammunition procurement contract, with guaranteed deliveries through 2037. In the air defense domain, Germany is set to receive Israel’s Arrow 3 missile defense system by the end of 2025, just two years after placing the order.
Read more: Portugal Handed Over Three Leopard 2A6 Tanks, 60 M113 APCs to Ukraine and Now Ready to Deploy Troops
