Rheinmetall and US supplier Anduril want to build drones "made in Europe"

A transatlantic corporate alliance is set to drive forward autonomous warfare. German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall and US weapons manufacturer Anduril Industries announced a strategic partnership on Wednesday. As part of the cooperation, the two companies intend to develop "European variants" of Anduril's Barracuda and Fury combat systems. These are then to be integrated into Rheinmetall's digital platform for networked military operations called Battlesuite.

"European sovereignty"

Both companies emphasize that this approach will enable "European sovereignty, local control, transparency and adaptability" and avoid dependencies. Suppliers and industrial partners from all over Europe will be involved in the joint production. Products and systems are to be developed together with specific users and customers.

Anduril's Barracuda can function as a drone and cruise missile, depending on the configuration and intended use. The Silicon Valley company, named after the sword of Aragorn from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, speaks of a family of "autonomous aerial vehicles". There are different variants – Barracuda-100, -250, -500 –, which are designed for different ranges and payloads. The Barracuda-M included in the collaboration is explicitly designed as a cruise missile and is designed to hit targets as precisely as possible.

Fast and low-cost production is crucial

Fury is an autonomous combat drone designed to work closely with and protect manned fighter jets such as the F-35. It is suitable for reconnaissance, surveillance, target acquisition and attack missions. The aircraft is powered by Anduril's Lattice AI operating system. It is designed to be cost-effective and mass-produced. The manufacturer is also involved in a Pentagon pilot project to prepare for a "cheap" drone war.

Both partners also want to explore the development of solid rocket motors using Anduril's new production approaches. This could help to "ensure Europe's access to a reliable range of propulsion systems", they say.

The two companies are already working together to develop drone defense systems. Anduril was founded by Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, among others. One of the investors is Peter Thiel. "War on autopilot" has been contested for years. It was not only the former Pope Francis who called for a ban on "lethal autonomous weapons" in 2024.

(vza)