Rheinmetall builds Nordhessen defence hub for €285m, 1,000 jobs

Rheinmetall and the state of Hesse signed a memorandum of understanding on 27 August 2026 for the 'Defence Hub Nordhessen': Rheinmetall is investing over €260 million in expanding tank production at its Kassel main plant, a logistics and technology centre with over 30,000 m² of floor space at Kassel-Calden airport (operations from end-2027) and a test centre for military drones; the state contributes €25 million. More than 1,000 new jobs are to be created at the Kassel and Calden sites (Hessian state government press release; hessenschau; Behörden Spiegel, 2 September 2026).