KONGSBERG and DRASS Announce Strategic Partnership

8 June 2026

Left to right: Sergio Cappelletti, Drass CEO; Antonio Tajani, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy; Cecilie Myrseth, Minister of Trade and Industry; Espen Henriksen, SVP Uncrewed Platforms, KONGSBERG. (Image credit: KONGSBERG)

The partnership between KONGSBERG and DRASS will support the exchange of technologies, systems, payloads, and operational architectures, combining the companies’ complementary industrial strengths, technical expertise, and operational experience to develop advanced underwater solutions.

“Our goal is to develop highly capable, scalable, and interoperable underwater systems that meet changing operational and defense needs. This includes unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), maritime intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) solutions, and manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T),” said Espen Henriksen, Senior Vice President Uncrewed Platforms at KONGSBERG.

Both companies have strong maritime expertise. KONGSBERG leads in navigation systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, sonar, sensors, and systems integration. DRASS is known for large subsea platforms, pressure-tolerant battery modules, compact I.R./optronic periscopes, and payload integration.

“Together, we will build on our complementary strengths in unmanned underwater systems and take the next step into the future,” Henriksen said.

Espen Henriksen, SVP Uncrewed Platforms, KONGSBERG, and Drass CEO Sergio Cappelletti formalize the agreement with a handshake flanked by Sigurd Aksnes Fjerdingen (left), VP Products, Uncrewed Platforms at KONGSBERG, and Marco Bellomo, Technical Director at DRASS. (Image credit: KONGSBERG)

CEO Sergio Cappelletti at DRASS stated: “These jointly developed solutions will create an integration bridge between DRASS’s compact submarines and manned underwater systems, and KONGSBERG’s unmanned surface vehicles and conventional UUVs.

“By leveraging our respective expertise—particularly through the joint development of KONGSBERG and DRASS unmanned vehicles—we can advance interoperable underwater platforms and accelerate progress in this emerging field. Through this partnership, we are creating a unique operational environment, encompassing the broadest spectrum of assets and technologies for littoral waters and beyond.”