Rheinmetall Acquires 51% Stake in Croatia's DOK-ING; Komodo Modular UGV Platform Joins Portfolio; Armed "Wingman" Support System Planned
Zagreb, 4 March 2026
Key points
- Rheinmetall on 4 March signed an agreement to acquire a 51% stake in Croatian unmanned ground vehicle manufacturer DOK-ING; founder Vjekoslav Majetić retains 49% with the existing management team in place, headquarters remaining in Zagreb
- Acquisition adds DOK-ING's "Komodo" modular hybrid UGV (payload capacity >8.5 tonnes) to the Rheinmetall portfolio; Rheinmetall will contribute mission modules including direct and indirect fire systems, autonomous capabilities and logistics equipment
- Planned development: armed "Wingman" support system designed to operate alongside main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for reconnaissance and fire support; Rheinmetall to establish a competence centre for autonomous tactical systems in Croatia
Rheinmetall on 4 March signed an agreement to acquire a 51% stake in Croatian unmanned ground vehicle manufacturer DOK-ING — adding the Komodo modular UGV platform (payload capacity exceeding 8.5 tonnes) to the German prime's portfolio and committing to development of an armed "Wingman" support system designed to operate alongside main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for reconnaissance and fire support.
The agreement was signed by Rheinmetall Vehicle Systems Europe CEO Dr Björn Bernhard and DOK-ING founder Vjekoslav Majetić in the presence of Croatia's Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Ivan Anušić. Majetić retains the remaining 49% stake; DOK-ING's headquarters remains in Zagreb and the existing management team continues in place. The purchase price was not disclosed; the deal remains subject to regulatory approval.
DOK-ING's Komodo platform is a modular hybrid UGV with payload capacity exceeding 8.5 tonnes. Rheinmetall will contribute mission modules including direct and indirect fire systems, autonomous capabilities and logistics equipment. The companies plan a range of solutions for combat and combat-support operations, including the armed "Wingman" support system designed to operate alongside main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles for reconnaissance and fire support. Rheinmetall will additionally establish a competence centre for autonomous tactical systems in Croatia.
The DOK-ING acquisition extends Rheinmetall's unmanned-ground-systems portfolio at the heavy-payload class — the structural complement to the lighter-payload Mission Master family already in the portfolio. The structural reading is that Rheinmetall is assembling an unmanned-systems portfolio spanning ground (DOK-ING Komodo, Mission Master), maritime (K3 Scout via Rheinmetall Kraken at Blohm+Voss) and air (Anduril Fury, Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat partnerships) — the multi-domain unmanned base the Bundeswehr's Capability Profile of April 2026 will require. A trajectory first surfaced in Signal No. 10.
Sources: Rheinmetall AG, DOK-ING d.o.o., Croatian Ministry of Defence.
First reported in Signal No. 10, 5 March 2026.