TKMS and Navantia ink MOU to explore naval cooperation

April 15, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

German defense company TKMS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Spanish shipbuilder Navantia to explore strategic cooperation on naval projects in Europe, NATO, and worldwide.

Geopolitical developments in recent years have significantly increased demand for modern naval products. At the same time, there are considerable bottlenecks in shipyard capacity and technological resources across Europe. Against this backdrop, TKMS and Navantia intend to explore how closer industrial cooperation can help implement projects more efficiently.

The agreement foresees potential production of TKMS designs, particularly submarines, at Navantia’s shipyards in Spain.

“The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is an important signal for European maritime defense. At a time when our customers’ security requirements are growing and manufacturing capacity is limited, it is crucial that European industrial companies collaborate more closely,” Oliver Burkhard, CEO of TKMS, said.

He added that TKMS and Navantia jointly have the expertise, infrastructure, and experience to overcome these shared challenges and strengthen the ability to deliver to the armed forces.

“This Memorandum of Understanding enables us to leverage synergies between our shipyard capacities and to act together as strong European partners,” Volkmar Dinstuhl, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of TKMS, added.

“This collaboration will deliver cutting‑edge capabilities to our armed forces while leveraging the full potential of European defence investment. As leading players in the naval and defence domain, Navantia and TKMS are committed to actively contributing to this common European effort,” Ricardo Domínguez, Navantia Executive Chairman, stated.