STARK Defence

STARK Defence is a defence technology company founded in 2024 to develop unmanned systems for European and NATO forces. Its work spans loitering munitions, unmanned surface vessels, mission control software and autonomy. The company was established in response to operational demands highlighted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and states its aim as delivering systems that are needed now rather than years hence.

The flagship product, OWE-V Virtus, is a loitering munition that has been deployed in Ukraine against ground and strategic targets and tested in actual combat conditions. Minerva is mission control software for unmanned systems, and Vanta covers unmanned surface vessels. Across the portfolio, equipment is developed in close consultation with operators on the battlefield and validated under real-world conditions.

STARK Defence has secured contracts from the German Bundeswehr and other NATO partners. The company is headquartered in Berlin and operates a new production facility in Swindon, in the United Kingdom, with operational deployments in Ukraine and markets across Europe and NATO. Working practices are shaped by the pace of current security challenges, with teams close to end users and to live operational feedback.