During the summer of 1926 the German army command asked for improvement of light field howitzer 16, which had been in use in World War I. This task was given to the Rheinmetall company. The results of the project, named leFH 18, were models L/25 and finally L/28. This gun could be used for direct and indirect fire. Its improved aiming device allowed its crew to fight even against mobile targets, like tanks. This made leFH 18 L/28 the standard light field artillery of the German army until the end of World War II.

Immediately after the development phase, Rheinmetall started production of the gun. But it still took several years until in 1935 the first leFH 18 L/28 was introduced into the Wehrmacht. The first models were equipped with wooden wheels, but this was already changed one year later. From 1936, all guns were fitted with rubber tires on iron wheels.