German defence giant Rheinmetall and Croatian technology company DOK-ING have strengthened their strategic partnership, marking a significant step forward for Croatia’s defence industry and its participation in the development of advanced military technologies.
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković welcomed the agreement, describing it as an important milestone that demonstrates Croatia is not only a user of cutting-edge defence technologies, but also a country actively involved in their development and production. He stressed that the partnership aligns with Croatia’s goal of becoming a producer and exporter of high-value technologies while contributing to European security.
A key element of the agreement is that major research and development activities will remain in Croatia, where a competence centre for autonomous and unmanned ground systems will be established. The centre is expected to bring together Croatian engineers, researchers and technology experts to participate in the development of next-generation defence solutions.
The announcement comes as Europe continues to increase defence investment in response to a changing security environment. According to the Croatian government, the country’s defence industry now includes around 200 companies, employs more than 3,000 people and has achieved strong export results across EU and NATO markets, with officials viewing partnerships such as this as an opportunity to further strengthen domestic industrial and technological capabilities.
