Lithuania to Build Leopard 2A8 Tank Production Facility in Kaunas

Finnish construction firm YIT Lithuania has signed a contract worth about €29‑30 million with Lithuania Defence Services to build a Leopard 2A8 tank assembly and repair plant in the Kaunas Free Economic Zone. The 13,000 m² facility will be constructed under a design‑build model, with work slated to start in August 2024 and be completed by November 2027.

The plant will provide long‑term maintenance capacity for Lithuania’s heavy armoured vehicles, create up to 100 jobs (around 70 production and 30 administrative staff), and is expected to deliver its first assembled tank by the end of 2028. YIT’s Lithuanian CEO Kęstutis Vanagas and LDFS director Sebastianas Dietzas highlighted the project’s importance for national defence infrastructure.