German shipyard group Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) and UK-based Kraken Technology Group announced on 22 August 2025 that they have formed a joint venture (JV) called NVL Kraken.
The JV aims to rapidly meet the globally growing demand for market-ready, scalable, uncrewed platforms of various sizes for both military and civilian applications, such as the surveillance and protection of critical infrastructure.
The new Anglo-German company intends to rapidly scale up manufacturing capacities for autonomous surface vessels at NVL’s Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, on top of the already-existing capacities in the UK to provide a range of products to the German and wider European market.
Kraken Technology Group specialises in the development of high-performance, low-cost, uncrewed maritime systems and will benefit from NVL’s comprehensive manufacturing and integration capabilities. NVL recently invested in Kraken Technology Group and has secured options to invest in a further round planned for the fourth quarter of 2025, while both companies will invest substantially in the roll-out of NLV Kraken.
In a joint press release the two companies noted that the current threat level requires innovative solutions that meet the tactical operational needs of European armed forces, adding that in future naval operations will increasingly be conducted by manned/unmanned teaming, enhancing collaboration between crewed and uncrewed systems.
Starting with smaller vessels, the JV will offer the comprehensive competencies required for these kinds of solutions – including larger uncrewed vessels – by uniting NVL’s competencies in the new-build of complex naval vessels with Kraken’s experience in delivering small, fast and robust uncrewed systems. Manufacturing under the JV is anticipated to begin as soon as the third quarter of 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,” Tim Wagner, CEO of NVL, was quoted as saying in the joint press release. “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,” said Wagner.
Mal Crease, CEO of Kraken Technology Group, added, “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. 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.”
