UK-based autonomous vessel developer Kraken Technology Group has partnered with Canadian-shipbuilder Davie to manufacture uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) in Québec, beginning with Kraken's K3 Scout platform.
The agreement expands Kraken's North American production footprint as demand for autonomous maritime systems continues to grow among naval and defense customers.
The K3 Scout is offered in multiple configurations, ranging from an 8-meter (26.2’) vessel with a 1,323-pound payload and top speed of 55 knots to an 18.6-meter (61’) variant capable of carrying up to 22,046-pounds with a reported range of 2,000 nautical miles. The vessels are designed for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, force protection, and other maritime security missions.
Philip Burns-O'Brien, Senior Vice President Commercial Development, Davie Shipbuilding, said: "This collaboration represents a leap in our evolution as a next-generation maritime industrial leader. The future of maritime security will see crewed and autonomous vessels operating seamlessly across vast distances in the world's most contested environments. Kraken brings world-class autonomous vessel technologies. Davie brings scale, advanced shipbuilding infrastructure and a record of delivering mission-critical vessels on time and on budget."
Kraken has rapidly expanded production capacity through partnerships with major defense and shipbuilding companies. The company told Tectonic that it is currently producing one vessel per day in the United Kingdom and plans to increase output to as many as 1,000 USVs annually. Through a separate partnership with Rheinmetall, Kraken is also producing USVs at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Germany, Tectonic reported.
The company also secured a contract ceiling agreement with United States Special Operations Command in late 2025 for its high-speed autonomous craft. Kraken recently announced a separate production partnership with Anduril Industries focused on larger autonomous vessel programs in the United States.
For Davie, the agreement marks an entry into the rapidly expanding autonomous vessel sector. Founded in 1825, the Québec-based shipbuilder has delivered more than 700 vessels and is one of Canada's largest shipbuilding companies. The yard is currently building icebreakers and other government vessels for both Canadian and U.S. customers.
Kraken said the partnership will allow the company to manufacture vessels at scale in North America while supporting Canadian efforts to modernize naval capabilities through a mix of crewed and uncrewed systems.
The company noted that its vessels can be equipped for operations in harsh environments, including cold-weather regions. Available options include de-icing systems and extended climate packages intended to reduce ice accumulation and maintain operational capability in Arctic and sub-Arctic conditions.
