The future of land warfare is no longer driven solely by armor thickness or engine power. It is shaped by autonomy, software, and machines that go where humans no longer should. With its decision to acquire a 51% majority stake in Croatian unmanned systems specialist DOK‑ING, Rheinmetall is making a clear statement: the next phase of military dominance will be uncrewed, modular, and European.

Signed in Zagreb, in the presence of Croatia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, the deal places DOK‑ING firmly within Rheinmetall’s strategic orbit. The Croatian company will continue to operate independently from its headquarters, with its existing management team intact — a move designed to preserve agility while injecting industrial scale.

The purchase price remains undisclosed, but the intent is unmistakable.

From niche specialist to strategic asset

Founded in 1991, DOK‑ING has built a reputation in one of the most unforgiving corners of defense technology: uncrewed ground systems for hazardous and high‑risk environments. Its platforms are used for humanitarian and military demining, military engineering, CBRN response, and critical infrastructure protection. Around 500 systems have been delivered to customers in more than 40 countries, with mine‑clearing platforms currently deployed in Ukraine.

What Rheinmetall is acquiring is not just a product line, but battle‑proven credibility — and a shortcut into a market segment that is expanding rapidly as modern conflicts demand distance between soldiers and danger.

A European center of gravity for autonomy

For Rheinmetall, the acquisition establishes a new competence center for uncrewed and autonomous systems in Croatia, anchoring future development inside the EU and NATO framework. This matters strategically. Defense procurement across Europe is increasingly shaped by sovereignty, supply‑chain resilience, and political alignment.

By combining Rheinmetall’s expertise in tactical vehicles and combat systems with DOK‑ING’s unmanned platforms, the group aims to move beyond experimentation and toward serial production and deployment.

Dr. Björn Bernhard, CEO of Rheinmetall’s Vehicle Systems Europe division, framed the move as a question of timing: autonomous combat support is no longer a future concept, but a market entering acceleration.

The Komodo effect

At the center of the partnership sits Komodo, DOK‑ING’s newly developed heavy‑duty hybrid uncrewed platform. With a payload capacity of over 8.5 tonnes, Komodo is designed as a modular backbone for mine clearing, logistics, direct and indirect fire support, and autonomous operations.

Rheinmetall contributes capability modules and equipment kits — from engineering tools to fire support payloads — transforming Komodo into a scalable system rather than a single‑purpose vehicle.

The ambition is clear: uncrewed ground systems (UGS) ready for mass production, not niche deployments.

The “Wingman” vision

Looking ahead, Rheinmetall and DOK‑ING plan to develop uncrewed armed support systems — known as “Wingman” — designed to operate alongside main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. These systems would provide reconnaissance, fire support, and risk‑heavy mission execution while staying integrated with existing platforms such as the KF51 Panther, Kodiak, and Buffel/Buffalo.

This is not science fiction. It is an incremental shift toward human‑machine teaming on the battlefield.

A signal to Europe’s defense industry

Beyond technology, the acquisition sends a political and industrial signal. Rheinmetall is betting that the next growth cycle in defense will be driven by autonomy, scalability, and European value creation.

For DOK‑ING, the partnership marks a transition from specialist innovator to industrialized system supplier, with access to Rheinmetall’s production capacity, integration expertise, and global market reach.

For Europe, it underscores a broader trend: the race for autonomous ground warfare is no longer dominated by distant players. It is being built, tested, and scaled at home.

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