Headlines
Germany's Helsing to acquire Australian underwater drone maker
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on October 8, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on October 8, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Helsing acquires Blue Ocean to enhance AI in underwater drones, aiming for autonomous ISR capabilities. Approval expected in four months.
BERLIN (Reuters) -Germany's Helsing will acquire Australian underwater drone maker Blue Ocean, the defence startup said on Wednesday, as it looks to expand its AI-powered autonomous systems in the marine sector.
Helsing, which did not give a transaction value, said that it would integrate Blue Ocean's hardware and manufacturing capabilities with its own artificial intelligence (AI).
The "strategic acquisition" allows Helsing to speed up plans for the development and mass production of autonomous underwater drones to protect countries' maritime domains, it said.
"The need for a smart autonomous mass-approach is clear, and together with Blue Ocean we can build an autonomous glider that provides a big leap forward to conduct underwater ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) for navies," said Helsing maritime general manager Amelia Gould.
The acquisition is subject to court, regulatory and shareholder approval, according to Helsing.
Approval by the authorities is expected in four months, said a Helsing spokesperson.
Helsing joins other European defence companies, currently benefiting from a surge in government funding due to the war in Ukraine, that have shown an interest in the naval sector.
Last month, German defence giant Rheinmetall agreed to buy Luerssen Group's warship division, NVL, while Thyssenkrupp is looking to spin off its TKMS warship division this month to help it unlock its growth potential.
(Reporting by Joern Poltz and Miranda MurrayEditing by Madeline Chambers)
Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines programmed to think and learn like humans, enabling them to perform tasks such as problem-solving and decision-making.
An acquisition is a corporate action in which one company purchases most or all of another company's shares to gain control of that company.
Marine technology encompasses the tools, equipment, and methods used to explore, study, and utilize the ocean and its resources, including underwater vehicles and robotics.
A strategic acquisition is a purchase made by a company to enhance its competitive position, expand its market presence, or gain access to new technologies or resources.
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