Québec-based shipyard Davie will build and develop Kraken Technology Group’s uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in Canada.
The Canadian firm will establish domestic production, integration and development of the British firm’s USVs under the terms of the newly partnership.
Kraken, which was selected to provide the British Royal Navy with its K3 Scout vessels for strike and ISR missions under Project Beehive, also recently announced a similar partnership deal with Anduril in the U.S.
Mal Crease, CEO of Kraken Technology Group, said: “This partnership with Davie is a significant opportunity for us to continue growing our footprint in North America.
“The ability to accelerate production and deployment of our modular, scalable and proven platforms will ensure that we can deliver to our customers across the defence, security and commercial domains.”
And Davie Shipbuilding’s Senior Vice-President Commercial Development Philip Burns-O’Brien added: “This collaboration represents a leap in our evolution as a next-generation maritime industrial leader… Kraken brings world-class autonomous vessel technologies. Davie brings scale, advanced shipbuilding infrastructure and a record of delivering mission-critical vessels on time and on budget.”
Its President Lindsey Kettel observed: “By combining innovative technologies with Canadian industrial expertise, this collaboration exemplifies Canada’s ‘Build, Partner, Buy’ policy.”
Kraken builds a family of K3 Scout drone platforms, some of which are capable of 55 knots; they are suitable for both strike and ISR missions.
It has also developed the K4 Manta, which it describes as an uncrewed surface subsurface vessel (USSV). It marries rapid surface transit of sensor or effect payloads with the ability to submerge for covert infiltration, or persistent ISR and/or loitering roles.
The K5 Kraken is a 15-metre optionally crewed USV designed for maritime engagement and littoral strike, and security missions. Developed as a gunship, it has a payload capacity of up to two tonnes, can achieve a maximum speed of up to 65 knots, and has a range of about 1,000 nautical miles at 30kts.
- You can read more details on the Kraken Technology Group website and the Davie website