The Kraken Technology Group and Capewell companies, with the support of the Royal Navy of Great Britain, have successfully completed the airborne landing of a surface drone within the framework of the Beehive project. According to Naval News, during a series of tests, the crew-less K3 Scout boat, conforming to the Beehive project specification, was repeatedly deployed using Capewell's universal marine vessel delivery System (UMCADS): it was dropped from an A400M military transport aircraft from a height of 400 meters above the water with sea waves up to 4 points.
"These demonstrations have successfully proven a new capability for force projection and rapid delivery of highly efficient unmanned vessels to disputed or hard–to-reach maritime areas," Kraken representatives said.
Dumping of the unmanned K3 Scout boat
Kraken Technology Group
During the tests, a set of additional equipment for landing K3 Scout from Kraken was combined with Capewell's reconfigurable UMCADS parachute platform, which allows landing various naval vessels directly in the combat zone.
The tests culminated in the successful verification of the innovative IN-Release system, a configurable electromechanical release mechanism that ensures reliable and synchronized detaching of the payload.
"These tests prove that the K3 Scout unmanned reconnaissance boats can be delivered by air and submerged in water in a mission–ready state, which significantly expands the speed, range and flexibility of deployment of unmanned marine assets," Kraken representatives noted.
In April of this year, it was reported that the German company Rheinmetall Naval Systems and Kraken Technology Group are launching a joint production of K3 Scout surface reconnaissance drones at the facilities of the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg.
K3 Scout, Kraken
Rheinmetall
"Initially, the production of K3 reconnaissance boats is designed for about 200 units per year. Depending on the volume of orders, we can increase production to 1,000 units per year," Tim Wagner, head of Rheinmetall's naval systems division, said at the time.
The body of the K3 Scout drones is made of a special lightweight composite fiberglass material. The length is about 11 meters (depends on the configuration), the maximum speed is 50-55 knots, and the cruising range is 650 nautical miles at a speed of 25 knots. Autonomy – up to 30 days, maximum displacement – 2550 kg, payload – 600 kg.
The cost of the K3 Scout is estimated at about 320 thousand euros.
