German defence giant Rheinmetall announced Wednesday that it would purchase a majority stake in a Croatian company specialising in demining robots, used around the world, including Ukraine.Rheinmetall signed an agreement in Zagreb to purchase a 51-percent stake in DOK-ING, but did not disclose the price.
The company is a leading producer in robotic mine-clearing systems designed to remove explosives without exposing personnel to danger.
But the German firm also said it had been working to fit the uncrewed ground vehicles produced by the company with equipment for "direct and indirect fire, mine clearing and laying, autonomous capability and logistics".
"The combination of Rheinmetall's expertise in tactical vehicles and DOK-ING's capabilities in uncrewed systems will create a strong market position for us," Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe division CEO Bjorn Bernhard said.
The arms manufacturer also said it plans to develop "an uncrewed armed support system ... to be used with battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for reconnaissance and fire support purposes".
Rheinmetall, Germany's leading defence company, announced at the end of December that it would divest itself of all its civilian activities to refocus exclusively on the military sector.
Based in Dusseldorf, the group manufactures munitions, artillery, and military vehicles.
It has been one of the main beneficiaries of the surge in demand driven by Europe's rearmament after Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Both companies entered into a partnership in 2024 aimed at becoming the market leader in unmanned and remotely controlled combat and combat support vehicles.
According to DOK-ING, it supplies more than 80 percent of unmanned demining vehicles around the world and has had a production facility in Ukraine since 2024.
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