KNDS unveils a new Main Battle Tank generation and charts the future of very long-range artillery

•     KNDS unveils CAPINT (CAPacité INTermédiaire / Intermediary Capability) Main Battle Tank and new very long-range artillery system family LORAS (LOng Range Artillery System).
•     Built on an enhanced chassis based on a LEO 2 A8 latest version and a KNDS France ASCALON unmanned turret; CAPINT serves as KNDS’ proposal for France’s new armoured combat system.
•     LORAS extends KNDS’ position as Europe’s most complete indirect fire provider.

On the opening day of the 2026 Eurosatory trade show, KNDS unveils a new generation ground combat capability based on a Main Battle Tank (MBT), called CAPINT and a new very long-range artillery system family called LORAS (LOng Range Artillery System). Both these new and highly innovative systems are set to shape the future of European land defence and represent two major achievements in leveraging Franco-German top-notch assets and competencies into joint products.

“These systems embody the unique value proposition of KNDS designing and orchestrating system-of-systems capabilities, connecting platforms, sensors, effectors and digital solutions to enhance battlefield effectiveness. We are bringing together French and German capabilities within single, fully integrated solutions designed, developed and supported by one company. It demonstrates our ability to transform European industrial cooperation into concrete capabilities for our customers.” said Jean-Paul Alary, CEO of KNDS

CAPINT: KNDS’ proposal for the French MBT next capability

KNDS is Europe’s leader in terms of main battle tank projects, known as the architect of the world’s most renowned MBT’s: the LECLERC and the LEOPARD. In this sector, the company is known to master every element of the tank system — firepower, protection, counter-UAV capabilities, mobility and digitalisation. The CAPINT system design is built on this very foundation.

CAPINT is a French national project intended to strengthen the French Army capabilities in the field of main battle tanks and paving the way to the MGCS (Main Ground Combat System). The CAPINT MBT will include set of capacities allowing to answer new requirements of the battlefield as regards firepower, C-UAV capacity, protection, open digital architecture and of connectivity with robotised wingers. More than a single tank, it will be a multiplatform system around a central platform and robotic wings, whose architecture and open digital core will ensure scalability and adaptability. The central platform of KNDS’ proposal relies on a enhanced KNDS Deutschland chassis derived from the Leopard 2 A8, powered by a 1500 HP diesel engine, with excellent power to weight ratio for a superior mobility, and a KNDS France ASCALON turret: unmanned, non-intrusive, and equipped with a state-of-the-art 120mm smoothbore autoloaded gun, ASCALON. KNDS is developing the system with the aim of delivering the first units in the 2030s.

ASCALON represents a revolutionary approach: a family of weapons designed to answer the evolving demands of high-intensity warfare, introducing a scalable weapon architecture capable of transitioning from the current NATO-standard 120 mm norm to improved performance and even larger calibers.

Based on fully mature technical solutions, this system has already fired approximately 300 rounds. This year, KNDS achieved a world first with a successful dynamic firing campaign from a MBT demonstrator fitted with a remote-control turret in January 2026 in Portugal.

ASCALON offers a highly competitive solution combining superior battlefield performance with optimised lifecycle and acquisition costs. Fully compatible with all NATO-standard 120 mm ammunition, it enables customers to maintain and leverage their existing stockpiles while ensuring long-term interoperability. Designed with scalability at its core, ASCALON opens the road to a full family of weapons, supporting evolving operational requirements over the coming decades.

Very long-range artillery family system: LORAS, meeting the challenges of the modern battlefield

LORAS extends KNDS’ unrivalled position as Europe’s most complete and sovereign land indirect fires provider. This new family concept reflects KNDS’s commitment to delivering deep-strike capability that meets the demands of modern high-intensity warfare, drawing on the operational lessons of recent conflicts and the evolving requirements of European NATO allies.

Target detection and localization technologies have advanced considerably in recent years: armed forces can now identify more targets, at greater distances, and with unprecedented accuracy. Artillery systems currently in service do not exceed a range of 40 km with standard high explosive munitions. With LORAS 155mm/58 cal., tomorrow’s systems will fire at 60+ km, reaching ranges of up to 100 km with special munitions.

The operational relevance of very long-range artillery lies in its favorable cost-effectiveness ratio and superior invulnerability: artillery shells cost a fraction of comparable missiles, and no fielded defense system can currently intercept them effectively. Combined with a complete ecosystem that includes loitering munitions, light 105mm artillery, heavy 155mm/52 cal. artillery, rockets mastered by KNDS, LORAS represents a major operational asset.

The 155mm/58 cal. gun is designed to fit existing platforms. It can be mounted on wheeled or tracked vehicles, including platforms already in service, whether manufactured by KNDS or by other industrial partners. It is also intended to equip new platforms.

LORAS is showcased at Eurosatory 2026 on the German-designed and German-built Boxer Tracked armored vehicle.

The system will be compatible with several types of ammunition:

– A new 58-calibre HE munition, currently under development by KNDS France

– Existing JBMOU compatible 52-calibre shells, used in particular by the CAESAR and most other NATO countries

Come and meet us at Booth D90 – Zone EXT PE 6B

photo courtesy KNDS