TKMS and SpearUAV partner to advance sub-to-air drone capabilities for underwater platforms

German shipbuilding company TKMS has signed a framework agreement with Israel’s SpearUAV to advance sub-to-air loitering unmanned aerial system (UAS) capabilities for underwater platforms.

The partnership aims to introduce a new multi-domain operational dimension to submarines and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), merging decades of naval expertise with modern aerial drone technology.

Specifically, the partners want to establish a foundation for collaboration across technological, commercial, and operational activities, with the shared goal of introducing a new multi-domain operational dimension to underwater defense products.

Idoh Ophir, Managing Director of TKMS Israel, described the cooperation as “a significant milestone in expanding the operational envelope of future submarine and UUV platforms.”

He added that integrating SpearUAV’s innovations will help sustain the technological edge of TKMS platforms.

The alliance leverages the complementary strengths of both firms. TKMS is Europe’s only fully integrated provider covering all three dimensions of maritime defense: surface shipbuilding, submarine construction, and electronics, sensor, and technology solutions. SpearUAV contributes its Viper 750, a multi-mission loitering unmanned aerial system designed specifically for sub-sea operations.

The initiative forms part of TKMS’s broader technology strategy, which envisions every platform as a potential carrier for unmanned systems, advancing the concept of “Evolvement and Automation of Crewed Platforms.”

According to TKMS, the Viper 750 sub-to-air loitering system can be launched from standard TKMS submarine launchers. Once the capsule surfaces, the drone autonomously launches, collecting real-time reconnaissance data without revealing the submarine’s position.

Itamar Ben-Tovim, Chief Business Development Officer at SpearUAV, said that “underwater warfare is entering a period of fundamental change. A domain that once evolved slowly is now adopting new technologies at an unprecedented pace across both manned and unmanned platforms.”

“At the core of our cooperation lies a strategic capability: deploying an AI-driven, encapsulated aerial system from covert sub-sea platforms. We believe this will profoundly influence the future of underwater operations.”

Ben-Tovim added that “This cooperation reflects SpearUAV’s strategy of forming strong partnerships that deliver clear value to end-users. Just as we empower maneuvering forces with an organic ‘Air-force’ for the battalion, we are now joining the global leader in the underwater domain to bring the same impact to submarines and UUV’s operation.”

To remind, TKMS recently signed a series of contracts regarding the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP).

The company and Canadian infrastructure firm EllisDon agreed to pursue long‑term cooperation on submarine maintenance, sustainment and associated facilities for the CPSP, with a shared aim of strengthening domestic industrial capability and skilled employment in Canada.

Shortly before that, TKMS and Seaspan Shipyards, one of Canada’s largest shipbuilding and sustainment groups, formalized a teaming agreement to help establish a sovereign sustainment capability for future Canadian submarines, combining TKMS’s global lifecycle expertise with Seaspan’s local workforce and repair base.

In mid‑January, TKMS also signed a pact with enterprise AI firm Cohere to explore the integration of advanced artificial‑intelligence tools into decision‑support, information management and secure naval interfaces tailored for the CPSP.

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