Rheinmetall acquires 51% stake in DOK-ING for undisclosed sum
The German defence systems supplier, Rheinmetall, has acquired a 51 percent stake in the Croatian uncrewed systems company, DOK-ING, for an undisclosed sum.
In an announcement published on their website on Wednesday 4 March, it was confirmed that the agreement was signed in Zagreb, Croatia, by Vjekoslav Majetić, founder of DOK-ING, and Björn Bernhard, CEO of the vehicle systems Europe division at Rheinmetall. The Croatian deputy prime minister and minister of defence, Ivan Anušić, was also in attendance.
"Rheinmetall’s entry into DOK-ING’s ownership structure will be completed upon obtaining approval from the relevant regulatory authorities," the announcement said. "Both parties have agreed that the value of the transaction will remain confidential."
In accordance with the agreement and with Rheinmetall's support, DOK-ING will continue operating from its headquarters in Zagreb, with the existing management team remaining in place to ensure strategic continuity and operational stability.
Statements from DOK-ING and Rheinmetall
The founder of DOK-ING, Vjekoslav Majetić, said: "Partnering with Rheinmetall marks the next phase in DOK-ING’s development. Over more than three decades, we have built strong technological capabilities and established a solid international presence in demanding markets. We have now reached a stage where further value creation and the expansion of production capacities require a partner with substantial industrial capacity, system integration expertise and global market access.
"DOK-ING was built on the enthusiasm, knowledge and courage of our people. That identity remains unchanged. Development, engineering excellence and key competencies will remain in Croatia. By joining forces with Rheinmetall, we are creating the conditions to expand production capacities, accelerate the development of a new generation of specialised unmanned systems and strengthen long-term competitiveness. This strategic step positions DOK-ING for sustainable growth and further reinforces Croatia’s role within the European defence and technological environment."
On his part, the CEO of Rheinmetall's vehicle systems Europe division, Björn Bernhard, said: "The combination of Rheinmetall’s expertise in tactical vehicles and DOK-ING’s capabilities in unmanned systems will create a strong market position with significant future potential. At the same time, we are establishing a strong presence in Croatia, a member of the EU and a NATO ally, and gaining access to this highly attractive market. In Croatia, we will establish our competence centre for unmanned and autonomous systems for military applications.
"Our goal is to secure a leading market position in the segment of unmanned combat support and armoured engineering military systems. We see significant growth potential in this segment and believe that we are entering the global market with new products at the right time, as confirmed by current and planned procurement projects in numerous countries. DOK-ING and Rheinmetall are leading European suppliers in their respective specialised fields, and by joining forces, we can deliver complex projects. Together, we aim to set new standards and pave the way for unmanned ground systems ready for serial production and operational deployment."
Strategic cooperation
DOK-ING and Rheinmetall already initiated strategic cooperation in October 2024, according to the announcement published by the Croatian company.
Initially focused on the joint development of unmanned ground systems for mobility, counter-mobility and combat support operations, the partnership between Rheinmetall and DOK-ING is fully European.
DOK-ING and Rheinmetall plan to develop a broad range of solutions for combat and combat-support operations, including an unmanned armed support system project designed to operate alongside main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for reconnaissance and fire support.
"These systems will also be deployed in conjunction with existing Rheinmetall products such as the main battle tank Panther KF51, the Büffel/Buffalo armoured recovery vehicle and the Kodiak armoured engineering vehicle," the announcement said.
