HENSOLDT traces its corporate history back to historic German optics and precision mechanics pioneers, including Carl Zeiss and the defense electronics divisions of Airbus. Established as an independent corporate entity in 2017 when Kohlberg Kravis Roberts acquired the defense electronics business from Airbus, the enterprise built upon decades of heritage in developing advanced sensors, optronics, and radar technology. It subsequently completed a successful initial public offering on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, establishing itself as a premier European defense electronics champion supporting modern military forces worldwide.