Daimler Truck Launches Global Defence Brand and Targets €1 Billion in Defence Revenue by 2028

Arocs 4463AK 8×8/4 with protected KNDS cab for military heavy transport missions

(IN BRIEF) Daimler Truck has launched Daimler Truck Defence as a new global brand to consolidate and expand its defence activities worldwide. The company plans to invest a mid-three-digit million-euro amount over the coming years in engineering, production, sales and service capabilities, with a target of reaching €1 billion in defence-related revenue by 2028. The new brand will broaden the company’s defence portfolio beyond Mercedes-Benz Trucks to include additional Daimler Truck brands and vehicle platforms, giving governments and military customers access to a wider range of mobility and logistics solutions. The strategy is centred on global scalability, industrial capacity, strategic partnerships and lifecycle support, with the Wörth am Rhein site in Germany playing a key role. Daimler Truck Defence is also supported by recent contracts with the Bundeswehr, the Canadian Armed Forces and the French Armed Forces, while the company will showcase its Unimog, Zetros and Arocs defence vehicles at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris.

(PRESS RELEASE) LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN, 16-Jun-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Daimler Truck is strengthening its position in the global defence market with the launch of “Daimler Truck Defence,” a new worldwide brand created to bring the company’s defence activities under one unified identity and support long-term international growth.

The company plans to invest a mid-three-digit million-euro amount over the coming years to expand its defence-related engineering, manufacturing, sales and service capabilities. Daimler Truck has also set a target of reaching €1 billion in defence revenue by 2028, reflecting the growing strategic importance of military mobility and logistics solutions within the group’s broader growth plans.

With the creation of Daimler Truck Defence, the company is moving beyond a portfolio focused mainly on Mercedes-Benz Trucks and will gradually include vehicle solutions from additional Daimler Truck brands and global product portfolios. The aim is to provide governments and defence customers with a broader range of military transport, logistics and mobility solutions tailored to different operational requirements and regional markets.

Around 1,000 employees are currently involved in Daimler Truck’s defence business. The expansion strategy is being driven primarily from the company’s Wörth am Rhein site in Germany, where the planned growth is expected to increase demand for highly qualified specialists and support employment in defence-related activities.

Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck, said defence is a key pillar of the company’s growth strategy. She said Daimler Truck is making targeted investments in production facilities, new solution development and the expansion of its sales and service network, while also using the group’s global strengths across regions and brands to significantly scale the defence business.

Dennis Kinzelmann, CEO of Daimler Truck Defence, said global demand for reliable military mobility is rising. He said the company’s global manufacturing network, resilient supply chains, strong partnerships and expanded product portfolio will allow Daimler Truck Defence to deliver military vehicles and mobility solutions quickly, at scale and to high standards. Kinzelmann added that the new global brand brings together Daimler Truck’s worldwide technology, production and service capabilities, with the ambition of becoming one of the leading providers of military mobility solutions.

Daimler Truck Defence is designed to give customers a single global point of access to mission-specific expertise, vehicle solutions and support. By consolidating its defence activities, Daimler Truck expects to improve efficiency, expand its product offering and create synergies across brands, business units, processes and vehicle platforms.

The company will continue investing in industrial capacity over the coming years to support larger military vehicle programmes and broader product availability. Daimler Truck’s strategy combines the scale advantages of high-volume commercial vehicle production with dedicated defence expertise, allowing military variants to be integrated into established manufacturing systems.

The Wörth am Rhein plant in Germany and the Molsheim facility in France form the core of Daimler Truck’s defence manufacturing activities in Europe. These sites enable the production and integration of military truck variants within existing industrial flows. Daimler Truck also offers local assembly of militarised Mercedes-Benz trucks in customer countries, supporting localisation needs and regional defence requirements.

In addition to customised project business, Daimler Truck intends to increase its focus on fleet and sustainment programmes. These programmes benefit from larger production volumes, broad vehicle variant availability and long-term support structures. The company’s global service network, which includes approximately 5,000 service locations in more than 160 countries, already supports operational readiness for vehicles deployed around the world. Further investment is planned to improve spare-parts availability and service responsiveness in key regions.

Daimler Truck sees defence as a significant growth driver in the years ahead. Recent contract wins include a Bundeswehr order for military logistics vehicles in the three-digit unit range, a contract with the Canadian Armed Forces in cooperation with General Dynamics Land Systems covering at least 1,500 logistics trucks, and a framework agreement with the French Armed Forces in partnership with Arquus for 7,000 trucks based on the Zetros platform.

These programmes reflect Daimler Truck Defence’s focus on European and transatlantic partnerships, combined with the industrial capacity needed to deliver reliable military vehicle solutions at scale. The company is also using components and platforms from its commercial vehicle business while working with industry partners on future technologies, including autonomous driving and unmanned systems integration.

Daimler Truck is continuing to expand its military vehicle portfolio to meet the evolving requirements of modern defence operations. The future offering will range from light utility vehicles to heavy tactical logistics platforms, with vehicles equipped for mission-specific use cases. By bringing additional Daimler Truck brands into the defence portfolio, customers will gain access to established platforms that can be adapted for military applications in their local markets.

Beyond vehicle supply, Daimler Truck Defence is developing a more integrated offering that includes engineering, manufacturing, system integration, partner ecosystems and long-term in-service support throughout the vehicle lifecycle. The company is increasingly focusing on modular platform architectures and jointly developed system solutions to respond to customer needs more quickly and flexibly.

Daimler Truck will present its defence portfolio at Eurosatory 2026 in Paris from 15 to 19 June. The company will showcase Unimog, Zetros and Arocs vehicles equipped with mission systems and specialist configurations developed in cooperation with industry partners.

Through Daimler Truck Defence, the company is aiming to build a stronger global defence presence by combining industrial scale, commercial vehicle expertise, international service support and specialised military mobility solutions.

Media Contacts:

Peter Smodej
Head of Communications Product & Corporate Mercedes-Benz Trucks / Daimler Buses
peter.smodej​@daimlertruck.com
+49 176 30936446

Lukas Hettmannsperger
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks
lukas.hettmannsperger​@daimlertruck.com
+49 170 3871112

Ulrike Burkhart
Spokesperson Mercedes-Benz Trucks Product, Service & eTruck
ulrike.burkhart​@daimlertruck.com
+49 160 861 3757

SOURCE: Daimler Truck AG