On Monday, April 20, 2026, German group Rheinmetall AG announced that its subsidiary Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH is beginning serial production of Kraken K3 Scout unmanned maritime systems at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg.
Photos: Rheinmetall AG
With a market-ready unmanned surface vessel (USV), Rheinmetall Naval Systems’ new unit – together with its British joint venture partner Kraken Technology Group – offers a surface platform for military and civilian applications. Depending on the configuration, the vessels can be used for maritime surveillance, protection of critical infrastructure, or as weapon carriers in military operations.
The joint venture established last year between Rheinmetall Naval Systems and British technology company Kraken Technology Group will now operate under the name Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH. The partnership is a response to growing global demand for commercially available unmanned platforms of various sizes.
Production of the systems – capable of speeds of up to 55 knots, measuring 8.4 meters in length, and offering individual configuration options – is taking place at Rheinmetall’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, which the Düsseldorf-based group is transforming into Germany’s leading test and technology center for unmanned and autonomous maritime systems.
“Production of the Kraken K3 Scout is initially designed for around 200 units per year. Depending on the order volume, we can scale up production to as many as 1,000 units annually,” says Tim Wagner, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Naval Systems division. With five locations in Germany, the Naval Systems division specialises in the construction of complex naval and coast guard vessels and is a pioneer in the development of unmanned and autonomous surface systems.
Mal Crease, CEO of Kraken Technology Group said: “The formation of Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH combines the scale, expertise and reach of a longstanding defence leader with an agile, innovative maritime technology company. This will ensure that production of Kraken’s K3 Scout can scale to meet exponentially growing operational requirements.”
Kraken Technology Group develops high-performance and cost-effective unmanned maritime systems. Through the joint venture, the company benefits from the extensive production and integration capabilities of Rheinmetall Naval Systems.
#Rheinmetall #Kraken GmbH launches series production of #maritime #unmannedsystems in #Hamburg https://t.co/lPP735Lkud pic.twitter.com/T6V0MB4T2o
— Rheinmetall (@RheinmetallAG) April 20, 2026
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