Rheinmetall and MBDA Deutschland are moving toward the creation of a joint venture for laser weapons development, with formal establishment targeted for the first quarter of 2026. The proposed company will operate under German law and initially concentrate on delivering naval directed-energy weapons for the German Armed Forces.
The venture will prioritize laser weapon systems for naval air defense, aimed at countering drones and other short-range aerial threats facing modern warships. Designed to operate alongside traditional naval guns and missile interceptors, the laser systems are expected to provide a lower-cost and rapidly scalable alternative for close-in defense missions.
The planned joint venture draws on more than five years of cooperation between the two defense firms. Since 2019, Rheinmetall and MBDA have jointly developed naval laser technologies, culminating in a sea-tested demonstrator that completed a year of operational trials aboard German Navy vessels.
In the partnership, MBDA Deutschland contributes expertise in sensor fusion, target tracking, and command-and-control integration, while Rheinmetall supplies the high-energy laser source, beam guidance technology, and system integration with naval platforms. The collaboration reached a critical milestone in 2022, when a German Sachsen-class frigate successfully engaged aerial targets using a high-energy laser in the Baltic Sea.
In 2024, the companies announced a dedicated effort to develop an economical naval laser weapon intended to replace costly ship-based air defense missiles for certain threat scenarios. The laser demonstrator was formally transferred to the Bundeswehr in late 2025, enabling expanded evaluation and testing.
Future trials will include land-based drone defense scenarios, with the goal of maturing the system toward potential operational deployment by 2029. The initiative underscores Germany’s growing investment in directed-energy weapons as part of its long-term air and missile defense strategy.
