In the sky and underwater. Germany’s Helsing acquires Australian underwater drone manufacturer Blue Ocean

In the sky and underwater. Germany’s Helsing acquires Australian underwater drone manufacturer Blue Ocean

German defense technology company Helsing, which supplies drones to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, has announced the start of the process of acquiring Australian underwater drone manufacturer Blue Ocean.

The amount of the deal has not been disclosed.

• Helsing said that combining the capabilities of the two companies would accelerate the development and mass production of autonomous platforms for protecting the “underwater combat space,” giving democratic allies a technological advantage in the maritime domain.

• The acquisition will combine Blue Ocean’s hardware and manufacturing capabilities with Helsing’s software solutions and artificial intelligence systems, and will involve the integration of the teams and operations of both companies.

• Amelia Gould, general manager of Helsing’s maritime division, emphasized that “the need for a smart, autonomous, mass approach is obvious” and that the collaboration with Blue Ocean will enable the creation of autonomous underwater vehicles for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR).

Helsing is known for its unmanned aerial systems: the company supplies Ukraine with HF-1 and HX-2 “lance-shaped” kamikaze drones capable of operating at distances of up to 100 km and using AI elements.

Helsing previously announced large-scale production of the HX-2 and testing of this platform with the participation of a number of European countries, as well as cooperation with Mistral. Expansion in the underwater segment is in line with the general trend among defense companies to diversify autonomous solutions in various environments, from air to underwater.

Read more: Helsing raised €600M Series D with participation from Plural to powered defense tech in Europe