Rheinmetall Unveils Kraken K3 Naval Drone and MASS Nova Decoys at Euronaval

German defense group Rheinmetall is showing its Kraken K3 unmanned surface vessel and the next-generation MASS Nova decoy launcher to an international audience for the first time at Euronaval, running November 3-6, 2026, in Paris. According to the company’s official press release dated October 30, 2026, the Kraken K3 has already entered series production at the Blohm+Voss facilities in Hamburg.

The Kraken K3 is designed to complement crewed warships, extending surveillance and reconnaissance range without putting sailors at risk. Also referred to as the “K3 Scout” in earlier Rheinmetall announcements, the platform’s production capacity was initially set at around 200 units a year, with the company saying that figure could rise to as many as 1,000 units annually depending on order volume.

MASS Nova is the next generation of Rheinmetall’s Multi Ammunition Softkill System, the decoy and countermeasure family that protects ships from incoming threats. The redesigned launcher offers variable firing angles and holds up to 40+4 rounds of 81mm Omni-Trap decoy ammunition, translating into a higher rate of fire than earlier versions. Rheinmetall says the changes shorten reaction time and help create a decoy curtain meant to confuse the seeker heads of incoming missiles.

Other systems on display at Rheinmetall’s Euronaval stand — Hall 6, booth J61 — include the GMF 140 guided-missile frigate concept, the Millennium gun system, the FV-014 loitering munition and Asteria sea mines. The broad lineup underscores the company’s push to strengthen its footing across both crewed and uncrewed naval platform segments.

Kraken K3 production forms part of the unmanned maritime systems line Rheinmetall launched in Hamburg in April 2026. The company had already shown the same platform as the “K3 Scout” at the Eurosatory exhibition in June 2026; its Euronaval appearance marks the first time it is presented to a broad international naval audience.

Neither system is tied to a named customer or contract in current reporting, and Rheinmetall’s statement does not specify which ship classes MASS Nova is meant to be fitted onto. That is typical for a trade-show unveiling: companies tend to introduce new hardware around its technical capabilities first, with order announcements usually following months later.

The growing importance of unmanned surface vessels to naval forces is closely tied to how effective Ukrainian-operated naval drones have proven against Russia’s Black Sea fleet. European navies are accelerating investment in uncrewed surface platforms for surveillance, mine-hunting and even limited strike roles, and having the Kraken K3 already in series production positions Rheinmetall among the leading suppliers in this segment.

The push on softkill defense systems, meanwhile, tracks the growing threat posed by guided munitions against ships. Facing modern cruise missiles and guided torpedoes, a ship’s electronic jamming and decoy-launching capacity has become just as critical as its active defenses — missile and gun-based point defense. MASS Nova’s higher rate of fire and expanded capacity are meant to thicken that layer of protection per vessel against this class of threat.

Euronaval 2026 ranks among the world’s largest naval-defense gatherings, running November 3-6 in Paris. Alongside Rheinmetall, the show serves as a showcase for a wide range of European and global shipyards and system integrators unveiling new platforms.

The corporate structure behind the Kraken K3 is also worth noting: the platform is being developed under Rheinmetall’s Kraken Technology Group umbrella, with production carried out at the German naval shipyard Blohm+Voss in Hamburg — part of a broader strategy to carry the company’s deep manufacturing experience in land vehicles and munitions over into naval platforms. Rheinmetall has issued a steady stream of announcements in this segment since early 2026, from the Scout configuration’s debut at Eurosatory in June to the series-production line opening in April.

The platform’s logistical flexibility has also been emphasized by the manufacturer. In an earlier demonstration, the Kraken K3 was shown being air-dropped from an A400M transport aircraft, underlining that it can be rapidly deployed to a theater without depending on naval base infrastructure — a notable advantage for surveillance missions requiring fast response in distant areas.

MASS Nova’s place within its technical family matters too. Rheinmetall’s MASS systems are already fielded by numerous NATO navies, forming the passive defense layer against radar-, infrared- and acoustically-guided munitions. The new Nova version’s expanded ammunition capacity and variable firing angle are aimed specifically at improving response flexibility against simultaneous multi-axis attack scenarios.

The range of systems Rheinmetall is presenting at the show underlines that the company’s naval ambitions are not limited to a single platform. The GMF 140 frigate concept falls into a class where Turkish shipyards also compete for export contracts, making Rheinmetall’s moves in this space worth following from the perspective of Turkey’s own naval export strategy as well.

Sources

• Rheinmetall AG, official press release, “Rheinmetall at the Euronaval exhibition,” October 30, 2026 — rheinmetall.com — primary source for Kraken K3 production details and the show program.
• Infodefensa, “Rheinmetall presentará en Euronaval el dron naval Kraken K3 y el nuevo sistema de señuelos MASS Nova,” November 2, 2026 — infodefensa.com — supplementary source for MASS Nova technical details.