German arms manufacturers Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland are eyeing a joint venture in the first quarter of 2026 to develop laser weapons.
To be established as a private limited company under German law, the venture will initially focus on developing and producing naval laser weapon systems to counter drones and similar short-range threats for the German Navy.
The laser weapon will complement the navy’s cannons and guided missiles. It will build on Rheinmetall and MBDA’s previous, jointly developed naval laser demonstrator, which had already undergone one year of operational testing at sea against various targets.
The formation of the joint venture for laser weapons “demonstrates the potential of determined industrial and technological cooperation in Germany in order to produce cutting-edge technology,” said Roman Köhne, Head of Rheinmetall’s Weapons and Munitions division.
It aims to nationalize the technology, ensuring sovereignty and supply chain security, and to sustainably expand job opportunities in Germany, Köhne added.
Meanwhile, MBDA Deutschland CEO Thomas Gottschild noted that the venture “accentuates the benefits of many years of collaboration and highlights the dedication of both companies to bringing the tried-and-tested maritime product to the market swiftly, and providing the Bundeswehr with additional drone defence capabilities.”
Development Milestones
Since 2019, the two firms have been working together on naval laser technologies.
MBDA Deutschland focuses on target detection and tracking, and on linking the system to command-and-control networks, while Rheinmetall handles the laser source, beam guidance, and aiming mechanisms, and integrates the system with shipboard hardware.
By 2022, this cooperation had progressed to trials: the German Navy’s Sachsen-class frigate successfully fired a high-energy laser weapon for the first time, engaging drones at close range in the Baltic Sea.
In 2024, Rheinmetall and MBDA announced a focused effort to develop an affordable naval laser system to replace costly ship-based air defense missiles.
The Bundeswehr took over the demonstrator in late 2025.
Further testing, including land-based drone defense applications, is intended to advance the system toward potential operational capability around 2029.
