Unmanned surface vehicles from Flensburg: Stark and Flensburger Shipyard plan Vanta production

Unmanned surface vehicles (USV) of the Vanta series from Stark could in future be built in Flensburg – and in larger numbers. The company has now signed a letter of intent to this effect with the Flensburger Shipyard; the two intend to cooperate in building unmanned maritime systems.

Stark contributes its development expertise in AI-supported and autonomous systems, Flensburger Shipyard (FSG) its design and manufacturing capacities. The aim is USV production in Germany with shorter lead times and higher unit numbers.

As background, the companies point out that both the North Sea and the Baltic Sea are exposed to hybrid threats, which is why unmanned systems are gaining in importance. This refers in particular to espionage, sabotage against critical infrastructure and GPS jamming. USV are suited, among other things, to maritime reconnaissance or to monitoring critical infrastructure.

With Flensburger Shipyard we are creating the industrial base to manufacture unmanned maritime systems in the required numbers in Germany and to contribute to protecting German and European waters— Max Berger, Director Maritime at Stark

“Seetaube” already handed over to the Bundeswehr

In August the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) received the “Seetaube”, Stark’s first autonomous surface system. It was jointly commissioned by the Cyber and Information Domain Service (CIR), the Bundeswehr’s Cyber Innovation Hub, the Zentrum Digitalisierung der Bundeswehr (Bundeswehr digitalisation centre) and the German Navy.

The main task of the “Seetaube” is to close reconnaissance gaps opened up by hybrid threats in coastal waters and around critical maritime infrastructure. In the long term, unmanned systems – for example from the Vanta family – are to take over recurring reconnaissance tasks in order to relieve frigates and other crewed units.

For Claus Ruhe Madsen, Minister for Economic Affairs and Technology in Schleswig-Holstein, the cooperation also holds industrial-policy potential:

I am convinced that this will not only create synergies for this increasingly important segment in meeting the navy’s ever-growing challenges, but will also strengthen expertise and jobs in Schleswig-Holstein and Germany.— Claus Ruhe Madsen, Minister for Economic Affairs and Technology, Schleswig-Holstein

Unmanned surface vehicles as a new shipyard business

For the shipyard itself, the cooperation means entering, or expanding, a new line of business. Flensburger Shipyard can look back on a history of more than 150 years; it brings experience with complex special-purpose vessels and maritime systems.

With this letter of intent we are expanding our portfolio to include a field of the future that fits perfectly with our more than 150-year tradition as an innovation shipyard— Frank Mallon, Managing Director of FSG

With Stark we are securing and specifically expanding technological expertise in unmanned maritime systems at our shipyard – this not only strengthens our own future business, but also gives the Flensburg shipbuilding location and the region new industrial prospects.— Frank Mallon, Managing Director of FSG

The partners have not yet announced how many units are to be built and when. Over the coming months, both intend to determine the next steps and how the Vanta USV family can be jointly produced and scaled up industrially.