BERLIN (Reuters) – German arms maker Rheinmetall and Croatian robotics specialist DOK-ING said on Monday they will join forces to develop unmanned vehicles that could escort tanks on the battlefield and assume tasks such as mine clearance, air defence or reconnaissance.
In Berlin, the companies signed an agreement with the aim of forming a joint venture, provided the European Commission and national antitrust authorities approve the plan.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, DOK-ING owner Vjekoslav Majetic said the need for a stronger and more self-sufficient European defence industry had never been higher.
“The partnership between Rheinmetall and DOK-ING comes at the right moment when Europe knows that it needs to invest more in its own defence capabilities to preserve peace, freedom and democracy as the foundation of our way of life,” he added.
Rheinmetall and DOK-ING said they intended to present the first prototype for an unmanned mine-scattering vehicle in 2025.
The tracked vehicle based on DOK-ING’s Komodo platform will also be capable of laying mines while mapping their exact positions, said Bjoern Bernhard, head of Rheinmetall’s division Vehicle Systems Europe.
It will be able to reach a speed of up to 60 kilometres per hour, enabling it to keep up with tanks and infantry fighting vehicles, and making it more effective in deploying mine barriers, he added.
Future systems will also be capable of clearing larger areas of mines more swiftly than the vehicles currently used for humanitarian purposes, according to Bernhard.
The joint venture also seeks to develop other remotely controlled vehicles that could carry air defences, reconnaissance systems, be armed or used to resupply troops in the field with ammunition and fuel, said the Rheinmetall manager.
While DOK-ING brings its expertise in the development and production of remotely controlled vehicles to the joint venture, Rheinmetall will supply the military expertise, sensors and battle management system that link the carrier to the troops and share its access to global markets.
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold, Editing by Miranda Murray and Christina Fincher)
