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Deutschland's leading arms manufacturer, Rheinmetall, and the German state of Hessen are planning to significantly expand the defense hub in Nordhessen through substantial investments. At a signing ceremony at Kassel-Calden Airport, Hessen's Prime Minister Boris Rhein and Rheinmetall's CEO Armin Papperger inked an intention agreement.

In the next few years, the company plans to invest over 260 million euros in its Kassel plant and the airport, while Hessen will contribute around 25 million euros. Besides expanding the Rheinmetall plant in Kassel, the agreement also includes the creation of a central logistics and training center and a drone test center at Kassel-Calden Airport.

The additional usable space of over 30,000 square meters at the airport will be used to create logistical storage areas for just-in-time production in the Kassel plant. Additionally, a new Hessian Drone Competence Center, supported by the state with an additional 8 million euros, will be run by the Technical University of Darmstadt.

Rheinmetall aims to strategically leverage the Kassel Airport and the industrial strength of Kassel, positioning the region as a hub for modern defense technology. The Defence Hub Nordhessen will bring positive effects to the region's suppliers and service providers. Rheinmetall's CEO Papperger stated that Kassel will remain the "largest tank plant in Europe" and that the primary focus of the investments will be the production of the "Boxer" armored vehicle.

The investments are expected to create more than 1,000 new jobs in Kassel and Calden. Currently, the Rheinmetall site employs approximately 2,200 people, with a potential growth to around 3,500 employees in the next and a half years. The new center in Calden will have at least 130 employees, potentially reaching up to 200. The Kassel plant will see its workforce grow from the current 2,200 to over 3,000 employees.

Overall, Rheinmetall plans to double its workforce to approximately 70,000 by 2029. These investments aim to create Nordhessen as a strategic node for advanced defense technology, with the Kassel Airport playing a key role in the region's transportation infrastructure.