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Series production of the Kraken K3 Scout unmanned surface vessel has officially commenced at Rheinmetall’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg.
The unmanned vessel is a product of the newly named Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH, a joint venture between Rheinmetall Naval Systems and the British-based Kraken Technology Group. This partnership was established to address the rising global demand for versatile unmanned platforms suitable for both military and civilian applications.
The K3 Scout measures 8.4 metres in length and is capable of reaching speeds up to 55 knots. Each unit is individually configurable, allowing it to function as a maritime surveillance platform, a guardian for critical infrastructure, or a weapons carrier for military operations. Rheinmetall is currently developing the Blohm+Voss site into a primary test and technology centre for autonomous marine 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. This division operates across five locations in Germany and focuses on the construction of complex naval vessels alongside autonomous surface systems.
Mal Crease, CEO of Kraken Technology Group, commented, “The formation of Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH combines the scale, expertise and reach of a longstanding defense 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 specializes in high-performance, cost-efficient unmanned maritime systems and utilizes Rheinmetall’s integration and production capabilities through this joint venture.
