The German defense giant Rheinmetall, in collaboration with the British company Kraken Technology Group, has commenced series production of the latest Kraken K3 Scout maritime drones at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg. This initiative is the result of the joint venture Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH, which specializes in creating innovative unmanned surface vehicles.
This is reported by Finway
Features and Capabilities of Kraken K3 Scout
The Kraken K3 Scout platform is designed to perform a wide range of tasks in both military and civilian sectors. The maritime drones can be used for maritime surveillance, protection of critical infrastructure, and can also serve as weapon carriers in combat operations. The vehicle is 8.4 meters long, capable of reaching speeds of up to 55 knots, and can be customized to meet specific customer needs.
“Series production of the Kraken K3 Scout has started at Rheinmetall’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg. Offering a market-ready unmanned surface vehicle (USV), the new Rheinmetall Naval Systems division, along with its British partner—the joint venture Kraken Technology Group—presents a surface platform for use in both military and civilian domains.”
Production Capacity and Prospects
Initially, the Hamburg plant is capable of producing around 200 Kraken K3 Scout drones annually; however, in response to increased demand, production can be scaled up to 1,000 units per year. Tim Wagner, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Naval Systems division, emphasized the flexibility of production, allowing for rapid responses to changes in orders.
Mel Kriz, head of Kraken Technology Group, highlighted that the establishment of the joint venture opens up opportunities to quickly expand production capacities in line with rapidly growing operational needs during global security challenges.
Additionally, Rheinmetall recently signed an agreement with Destinus, a European defense technology company from the Netherlands, to create another joint venture. This venture will specialize in the production of advanced missile systems, including cruise missiles, underscoring Rheinmetall’s commitment to innovation in defense technologies.