Initial efforts focus on three proven technologies: a European variant of Anduril’s Barracuda, the Fury autonomous air vehicle (AAV), and solid rocket motor solutions for the continent. These systems will be integrated into Rheinmetall’s “Battlesuite” digital sovereignty framework and developed in cooperation with sovereign European suppliers.
“This is a different model of defence collaboration, one built on shared production, operational relevance, and mutual respect for sovereignty,” said Brian Schimpf, CEO of Anduril Industries. “Together with Rheinmetall, we’re building systems that can be produced quickly, deployed widely, and adapted as NATO missions evolve.”
Rheinmetall’s CEO Armin Papperger emphasised the strategic depth of this approach, stating: “By integrating Anduril’s solutions into Rheinmetall’s European production setup and digital sovereignty framework, we’re building on that foundation to bring new kinds of autonomous capabilities into service, ones that are quick to produce, modular, and aligned with NATO’s evolving requirements.”
The partnership supports a long-term investment in the co-development of scalable systems tailored to individual European markets. It reflects a “built with, not for” philosophy that promotes local control, adaptability, and transparency across the continent.
The Barracuda platform, including its Barracuda-M variant, will offer European armed forces a cost-effective, mass-producible autonomous air vehicle capable of carrying diverse payloads. Its modular architecture supports a wide range of operational roles, responding to specific national needs.
The inclusion of Fury into Rheinmetall’s ecosystem will allow each country to define its own command-and-control settings, enhancing operational flexibility. Designed for manned-unmanned teaming, Fury combines advanced fighter capabilities with adaptable sensor and payload integration.
Meanwhile, the solid rocket motor initiative aims to strengthen European access to reliable propulsion technologies, ensuring redundancy and production capacity in cases where domestic sources are not yet sufficient. This supports a more resilient and sovereign European defence supply chain.
The companies’ existing cooperation includes joint development of a layered counter-UAS solution and participation in the U.S. Army’s Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle programme. The new model prioritises speed, modularity, and shared development over proprietary systems and vendor lock-in.
