Stark Defence Wins €275M German Military Drone Contract

Stark Defence is poised to fulfill a substantial order from the German military for loitering munitions, valued at €275 million. This initial charge is part of a broader framework agreement totaling €2.9 billion, with the German parliament already approving €1 billion in funding. The company plans to begin deliveries to the Bundeswehr imminently, starting with the German brigade stationed in Lithuania.

The munitions, also known as “kamikaze drones,” are capable of flying up to 130 kilometers and remaining airborne for as long as 75 minutes before detonating upon impact with a target or, failing target acquisition, crashing and detonating in an unpopulated area. Each drone weighs up to 33 kilograms and costs less than €100,000. Stark Defence, founded in 2024, currently employs 750 people across production sites in Germany, the UK, Sweden, and Greece, and also operates facilities in Ukraine.

Stark Defence’s Senior Vice President, Josef Kranawetvogl, emphasized the cost-effectiveness of drone warfare, noting that a single drone can neutralize armored vehicles worth millions of euros. The company highlighted the use of Artificial Intelligence to allow a single operator to control multiple drones simultaneously, addressing personnel shortages within Western armies. Rheinmetall AG was identified in the filing as a competitor, having also secured contracts for similar systems.

The initial drone delivery is scheduled for a NATO exercise in Lithuania this November, where the systems will be tested without live explosives. The filing does not disclose Stark Defence’s overall revenue or profitability.