Rheinmetall-Kraken starts serial USV production

Rheinmetall Kraken GmbH, a joint venture between Germany's Rheinmetall and Britain's Kraken, has launched serial production of the Kraken K3 Scout unmanned surface vehicle at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg. The 8.4-meter USV can be configured for military or civilian use, including maritime surveillance, critical infrastructure protection, or as a weapons platform, with speeds up to 55 knots. Production is planned at about 200 units annually, with potential to scale to 1,000 per year. The company claims the technology was combat-tested against Russia's Black Sea Fleet, though critics argue such USVs are vulnerable without proper defenses.