KNDS France completes acquisition of Texelis Defense

Texelis has been acquired by KNDS France, becoming KNDS Mobility. The move consolidates France’s AFV industry and may broaden KNDS’s market opportunities and customer base.  

By Sam Cranny-Evans, editor of Calibre Defence, published on April 6, 2026.  

KNDS France has completed the acquisition of Texelis Defense, which now becomes KNDS Mobility. According to an April 2 press release, the move is aimed at strengthening the company’s supply chains and industrial capabilities.  

Is also a part of KNDS France’s growth strategy, which has included recent partnerships with Elbit Systems. That partnership focuses on offering the PULS rocket launcher to Europe, filling a gap in KNDS’s market offering.  

Texelis and KNDS France are not strangers to each other. They have worked together on elements of France’s SCORPION programme, an extensive modernisation of the French Army’s armoured vehicle fleet. Texelis provides the chassis for the Serval, the lightest vehicle of the SCORPION portfolio. KNDS France supports assembly and integration of the vehicle.   

Outside of this, Texelis has a range of industrial partnerships in defence. It was recently revealed that it provided mobility components for Finnish company SCATA Defence for example. SCATA will present its first vehicle at Eurosatory, a 4×4 based on Texelis components.  

Moreover, the company has cooperated with Yugoimport, the Serbian state-owned manufacturer. Working with Irish company Timoney, Texelis supplied the axle and suspension units for Serbia’s Lazar 3 8×8 vehicles. It also provides parts for the country’s Milosh 2 4×4 protected mobility vehicles. Texelis has also provided mobility components and chassis for several other vehicles, including developments in Indonesia.  

This wider market access reflects one of the many benefits that will come from Texelis becoming KNDS Mobility. As part of KNDS, the companies will increase their market offering outside of the existing offering.  

Calibre comment: Why does KNDS France need this? 

KNDS France has a unique set of offerings within the defence industry. Its SCORPION family of vehicles, represented by the Jaguar reconnaissance platform, Griffon 6×6, and Serval, have gained some traction beyond the French Army. Belgium and Luxembourg are already customers, and Ireland is tipped to be the next. However, these vehicles are not affordable offerings. The Luxembourg contract is valued at €2.6 billion ($2.82 billion/£2.21 billion), covering the following vehicles for 30 years:  

• 38 Jaguar reconnaissance vehicles 
• 16 Griffon 6×6
• 5 Serval 4×4 

The contract includes infrastructure and through-life support, and the Jaguar is significantly more expensive than the other two. However, this still represents an average investment of €44 million (approx £38/$50 million) per vehicle. Again, it is important to emphasise that this represents the cost of the vehicle throughout its service life. So, it is only indicative but reflects the fact that KNDS France is offering high end platforms for well-funded militaries.  

• France orders 530 Serval vehicles  
• Inguar Defence unveils Inguar-3, protected mobility for drone crews
• The role of protected mobility in the age of drones  

At the same time, the market dynamics around the world are shifting. Most countries that were sitting on legacy Cold War equipment have initiated procurements to replace them. Those that can afford to and have the threats to justify it, that is. This means that the market for high-end platforms is diminishing and companies must look to securing alternative forms of market share. In a nutshell, the merger between KNDS France and Texelis could open up a range of market opportunities that are quite different from what either company could service alone.  

What about the KNDS IPO?  

One other element to consider is that KNDS is widely reported to be planning an IPO in 2026. The move is expected to fund the expansion of production to meet the group’s production schedules for the SCORPION programme and Leopard 2 order book. It is expected to be listed on both the French and German stock exchanges. In this context, the Texelis acquisition helps simplify the company’s order book and supply chains, as well as building the portfolio for KNDS France. 

The lead image shows a Serval undergoing a mobility test. Credit: KNDS France.