Joint venture with DOK-ING aims to strengthen the development of unmanned ground systems and establish Croatia as a European technology hub

Rheinmetall is pressing ahead with the expansion of its industrial presence in South-Eastern Europe, relying on a long-term partnership with Croatia. With the establishment of the joint venture Rheinmetall Unmanned Vehicles d.o.o. together with the Croatian specialist DOK-ING, the Düsseldorf-based technology group aims to drive forward the creation of a European centre of excellence for unmanned ground systems. The project goes beyond the development of individual products and aims to permanently anchor research, industrial manufacturing and international supply chains in Croatia.

According to Rheinmetall, the official launch of the joint venture in Zagreb marks the start of a strategic industrial partnership that is intended to involve not only the defence industry but also research institutions, universities, suppliers and the Croatian shipbuilding sector.

Expansion of the European defence industry

Against the backdrop of the changing security environment, numerous European countries are currently investing in the expansion of their defence capabilities and industrial base. Alongside the modernisation of military equipment, resilient supply chains, technological sovereignty and the strengthening of European production capacities are becoming particularly important.

Against this backdrop, Rheinmetall aims to establish additional development and manufacturing capacities within Europe and to integrate regional industrial partners more closely into international programmes. Within this strategy, Croatia will play a key role in the field of unmanned systems in future.

Centre of Excellence for Autonomous Ground Systems

At the heart of the joint venture is the development of a new generation of unmanned and autonomous ground platforms for military and security-related applications. This is based on the long-standing experience of the Croatian company DOK-ING in remote-controlled specialised vehicles, particularly in the fields of mine clearance and specialised technology.

These capabilities are to be combined with Rheinmetall’s experience in the development, integration and industrialisation of complex defence systems. The plan is to develop modular platforms for various operational scenarios, including combat support, engineering operations, mine clearance and other missions in particularly hazardous operational environments.

The technological basis will include, amongst other things, the Komodo platform developed by DOK-ING, which is to be further developed within the joint venture and expanded for future military applications.

Research to remain in Croatia

A key component of the partnership is to permanently base core research and development activities in Croatia. Design, engineering and product development are to continue to be carried out predominantly by Croatian engineers, whilst Rheinmetall will provide access to international development programmes, industrial series production and global sales markets.

This is intended not only to strengthen the site’s technological expertise. At the same time, it opens up opportunities for Croatian companies to become more closely integrated into international value and supply chains.

Local value creation as a strategic objective

According to the company, the collaboration is not limited to the new joint venture. Rather, Rheinmetall is pursuing a comprehensive industrial strategy focused on long-term technology transfer, local production and the establishment of regional supply structures.

In addition to research and development, new manufacturing capacities are to be created that can serve both European demand and international export markets. At the same time, Rheinmetall sees potential for closer cooperation with the Croatian shipbuilding industry, scientific institutions and other industrial partners.

This model is in line with the company’s strategy of establishing industrial value creation as close as possible to the respective partner countries, whilst at the same time strengthening their technological autonomy.

Unmanned systems are gaining in importance

The development of autonomous and remotely controlled ground vehicles is currently one of the most dynamic areas of innovation in the defence industry. Modern unmanned platforms are increasingly taking on tasks in which soldiers were previously exposed to considerable risks. These include, in particular, mine clearance, reconnaissance, transport tasks and technical support on the battlefield.

The use of autonomous or semi-autonomous systems reduces the risks to personnel whilst enabling complex missions to be carried out more efficiently. Accordingly, numerous armed forces across Europe are currently investing in such technologies.

Contribution to the European security architecture

The project also forms part of the wider effort to expand the European defence industry. The aim is to expand production capacities within Europe, make supply chains more resilient and step up the development of key technologies within the European Union.

According to the Croatian government, the partnership will help to further establish the country as a centre for the development and production of high-tech systems. At the same time, a centre of excellence for autonomous ground systems is to be established, permanently linking research, development and industrial manufacturing.

The initiative also forms part of Croatia’s Industrial Development Plan for 2027 to 2034, which, amongst other things, aims to promote technological innovation, the digitalisation of industrial processes, the enhancement of export capacity and the greater integration of Croatian companies into European value chains.

Rheinmetall is committed to a long-term presence

Rheinmetall emphasises that the establishment of Rheinmetall Unmanned Vehicles represents merely the first step in a long-term industrial partnership. The company is already collaborating with Croatian industrial partners in various fields and is continuously expanding its activities in the naval sector.

Looking ahead, further investments are set to follow in order to expand production capacities, integrate research facilities and involve Croatian companies more closely in the Group’s international programmes. In doing so, Rheinmetall is pursuing an approach that goes beyond traditional investment projects and aims to build up industrial expertise in the region on a sustainable basis.

Conclusion

The joint venture between Rheinmetall and DOK-ING is creating a new European development centre for unmanned ground systems. At the same time, the project highlights an overarching trend within the European defence industry: rather than individual procurement projects, long-term industrial partnerships, technology transfer and the development of regional production and research capacities are becoming increasingly important.

For Croatia, the cooperation opens up the opportunity to establish itself as a centre for the development and manufacture of modern defence technologies. Rheinmetall, for its part, is expanding its industrial presence in Europe whilst simultaneously strengthening the foundations for more resilient supply chains and the development of future unmanned systems.