Rheinmetall acquires stake in Croatian robotics company DOK-ING

German defense group Rheinmetall has acquired a stake in Croatian unmanned systems manufacturer DOK-ING, a company known for its robotic platforms used in demining, engineering, and operations in hazardous environments.

According to Rheinmetall, the investment is intended to deepen industrial cooperation with the Zagreb-based company and expand capabilities in unmanned ground systems. The German defense manufacturer indicated that the partnership will focus on developing and producing robotic platforms for military applications.

DOK-ING has built an international reputation for remotely operated and autonomous vehicles designed for explosive ordnance disposal, humanitarian demining, firefighting, and other missions in high-risk environments. In recent years, the company has also been advancing military variants of its robotic platforms.

Rheinmetall stated that the investment forms part of its broader strategy to expand capabilities in autonomous and unmanned land systems. European armed forces are increasingly integrating robotic platforms into land operations, including engineering support, reconnaissance, logistics, and combat support roles.

Through the partnership, the two companies plan to cooperate on the development and production of new unmanned ground systems, combining Rheinmetall’s defense systems integration experience with DOK-ING’s robotic platform technologies.

The move also highlights growing defense-industrial cooperation between Western European defense primes and specialized technology companies in Central and South-Eastern Europe, particularly in the rapidly expanding field of autonomous land systems.