A German Startup Will Develop A Marine Drone To Monitor Russia's Shadow Fleet

• 3.11.2026, 22:29

The unmanned vessel will also be used to protect undersea cables.

German defense startup Stark Defence plans to launch a 24-meter unmanned vessel in 2027 to protect undersea cables and monitor Russia’s “shadow fleet” in European waters, the company’s CEO Uwe Horstmann announced at the Bloomberg Tech London conference.

The new Vanta 24 vessel will be able to carry up to 50 metric tons of cargo, including missiles and artillery. It will be capable of speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour (about 64 km/h) without a crew on board.

According to Horstmann, the cost of such unmanned vessels is one-thousandth the cost of a conventional frigate, which takes several years to build. Meanwhile, the Vanta 24 can be deployed in just a few months.

The vessel is designed to operate in the Baltic and North Seas, including in rough seas and at low temperatures. It is planned to be used to escort military ships, conduct coastal surveillance, and protect undersea infrastructure.

Development of the Vanta 24 is being organized in Germany and the United Kingdom. Stark has appointed Stephen Bryan, a former commander of a British Royal Navy nuclear submarine, as head of its maritime division.

In addition, the company is developing an electronic intelligence system capable of detecting transmitters and radar stations at distances of up to 100 km. Stark’s software platform will enable unmanned aerial vehicles and vessels to exchange data. In the future, it may allow them to interoperate with weapons from other manufacturers.