Growing demand for advanced underwater intelligence systems, particularly in sensing and robotics, is driving the next generation of highly autonomous underwater vehicles. This partnership is intended to address those evolving defense needs.
Today, 8 June 2026, at the Farnesina, headquarters of Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome, DRASS and KONGSBERG signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the joint development of advanced underwater solutions and next-generation uncrewed underwater capabilities.
The agreement was signed by Sergio Cappelletti, CEO of DRASS, and Espen Henriksen, Senior Vice President, Uncrewed Platforms at KONGSBERG, in the presence of Marco Bellomo, Technical Director at DRASS, and Sigurd Aksnes Fjerdingen, Vice President Products – Uncrewed Platforms at KONGSBERG.
The partnership between KONGSBERG and DRASS will support the exchange of technologies, systems, payloads, and operational architectures, combining the companies’ complementary industrial strengths, technical expertise, and operational experience to develop advanced underwater solutions.
“Our goal is to develop highly capable, scalable, and interoperable underwater systems that meet changing operational and defense needs. This includes unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions, and manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T),” says Espen Henriksen, Senior Vice President Uncrewed Platforms at KONGSBERG.
Both companies have strong maritime expertise. KONGSBERG leads in navigation systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, sonar, sensors, and systems integration. DRASS is known for large subsea platforms, pressure-tolerant battery modules, compact I.R./optronic periscopes, and payload integration.
“Together, we will build on our complementary strengths in unmanned underwater systems and take the next step into the future,” Henriksen says.
CEO Sergio Cappelletti at DRASS states: “These jointly developed solutions will create an integration bridge between DRASS’s compact submarines and manned underwater systems, and KONGSBERG’s unmanned surface vehicles and conventional UUVs.
By leveraging our respective expertise—particularly through the joint development of KONGSBERG and DRASS unmanned vehicles —we can advance interoperable underwater platforms and accelerate progress in this emerging field. Through this partnership, we are creating a unique operational environment, encompassing the broadest spectrum of assets and technologies for littoral waters and beyond.”
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