Germany is working with the United Kingdom to develop a naval drone designed to operate “in potential war zones” in the Baltic and North Seas. European countries are thus stepping up their efforts to counter Russia’s “shadow fleet” of oil tankers while also seeking to protect maritime infrastructure—underwater cables and pipelines—from Russian sabotage, according to a Bloomberg report.
The drone, named Vanta 24 and built by a German start-up that hopes to begin mass production next year, is 24 metres long and specifically designed to protect undersea cables and counter vessels belonging to Russia’s shadow fleet in European waters, said Uwe Horstmann, CEO of Stark Defense.
The Vanta 24 has a payload capacity of 50 tonnes and can carry weapons, including missiles and cannons. The naval drone can also reach speeds of over 64 km/h.
After publicly accusing Russia in September of attempting to sabotage Leipzig Airport using drones, Berlin announced retaliatory measures, including tougher action against Russia’s shadow fleet. Luciana Lixandru, a partner at Sequoia Capital, the fund that invested in Stark Defense, believes the company will become one of the few European startups capable of competing with the world’s leading defense manufacturers.
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