01gCaptain2026-11-03
Dronemaker Stark Designs Uncrewed Ship to Hunt Russia’s Shadow Fleet (opens in a new tab)
German startup Stark Defence is developing a 24-meter uncrewed surface vessel, the Vanta 24, to monitor undersea cables and track Russia’s shadow fleet in European waters. The vessel, capable of carrying 50 metric tons and traveling at 40+ mph, is designed to be rapidly deployable and cost a fraction of manned frigates. Stark, backed by investors like Sequoia Capital and Founders Fund, aims to compete with established defense contractors by focusing on software-driven, uncrewed systems. The company has secured NATO contracts for drones and is expanding into maritime defense amid rising tensions in the Baltic and North Seas.