The Anglo-German venture plans to expand manufacturing of autonomous surface vessels at NVL’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, alongside existing UK capacities. The aim is to supply a broad range of products to Germany and European markets, while uniting both firms’ expertise in naval integration and high-performance uncrewed systems.
Through the new structure, NVL expands its capabilities as a leading shipbuilding group and system integrator into the field of manned-unmanned interaction. Kraken will in turn benefit from NVL’s industrial scale and comprehensive integration experience.
NVL has already invested in Kraken Technology Group and secured options for further investment in a new round scheduled for Q4 2025. Substantial joint investment is planned for the roll-out of the venture, with manufacturing anticipated to begin as soon as Q4 2025.
“The joint venture with Kraken offers us the opportunity to rapidly react to the latest requirements of our customers and to provide market-ready autonomous systems quickly and in high volumes,” said Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL. “At the same time, by taking this step, we are expanding our role as a pioneer in the development of manned/unmanned teaming (MUM-T) concepts and are creating the right conditions for launching additional innovative solutions in this field. This also includes, for instance, our design concepts for the naval tender vessel NTV 130 as a drone mothership that could succeed the six tender vessels (the ELBE class) currently operated by the German Navy.”
“We are honoured to partner with NVL as we expand our ability to provide fully sovereign, autonomous maritime capabilities to our Allied nations. Working with NVL will allow exponential scaling of production and supply chain to meet growing threats through deployment of high-performance, multi-role, mass capabilities across our seas,” said Mal Crease, CEO of Kraken Technology Group. “NVL are unquestionably the gold standard of maritime production and being able to draw and develop from such expertise and repurpose it for use in smaller, uncrewed platforms will bring a vital and much-needed step-change to the European maritime defence industry.”
The companies emphasised that naval operations will increasingly rely on collaboration between crewed and uncrewed systems. By combining NVL’s experience in complex naval vessels with Kraken’s development of small, fast, uncrewed platforms, the joint venture will offer a full spectrum of maritime solutions.
