Autonomous maritime defense company Kraken Technology Group announced the appointment of Justin Litko as Chief Executive Officer of Kraken Technology US Inc.

As CEO, Justin will lead the company’s scaling operations and growth across the region. This appointment reflects Kraken’s commitment to delivering domestic manufacturing and mission-ready unmanned maritime capabilities in the US.

Justin brings with him over 20 years of experience spanning defense, intelligence, and commercial markets. Having retired as a US Army Special Forces Warrant Officer, Justin moved into defense technology, most recently acting as Vice President of the Special Operations Solutions Division at BlueHalo, an AV company.

Justin’s appointment follows Kraken’s recent announcements around its $175 million raise and $1 billion valuation as well as its partnership with Anduril Industries to rapidly develop and deliver high-performance, integrated capabilities for unmanned vessels in the US. Armed with this momentum, Justin will further Kraken’s localized production and continue to work alongside the US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) on the company’s $49 million Other Transaction Authority (OTA), as well as other contracts and partnerships.

Justin Litko, CEO of Kraken Technology US Inc, said: “Kraken has proven its technology across the globe. I am delighted to be joining Kraken US to accelerate its delivery of American-made unmanned vessels in support of our military and deploy mission-ready autonomy on the water at the speed the threat demands.”

Mal Crease, CEO and Founder of Kraken Technology Group, said: “As CEO of Kraken US, Justin will turbocharge Kraken’s rapidly expanding presence in America. Justin is an exceptional addition to the company and will lead Kraken through its next stage of growth in delivering reliable and effective autonomous systems for the US in the US.”

Kraken US is actively hiring as the company expands its American operations.