18 June 2025
German defense company Rheinmetall and U.S.-based Anduril Industries have signed a strategic partnership to jointly develop cruise missiles, combat drones, and solid-fuel rocket motors for the European market.
The agreement, signed on June 17, includes Anduril’s Barracuda family of low-cost cruise missiles and its YFQ-44 jet-powered combat drone, which will be adapted for European military requirements.
The European versions of the systems will be integrated into Rheinmetall’s Battlesuite digital command platform.
The YFQ-44, currently in prototype stage, has not yet completed flight testing.
The partners also plan to explore new methods of manufacturing solid-fuel rocket engines, leveraging Anduril’s innovations in propellant mixing and production efficiency.
Joint development and production will involve suppliers and industrial partners across Europe. According to Anduril, the Barracuda-500 missile — offering a range of more than 500 nautical miles — targets a unit cost of $150,000. The missile features modular payload options and multiple guidance configurations.
The autonomous YFQ-44 drone will be integrated into Rheinmetall’s digital infrastructure, enabling countries to tailor command systems and operational concepts to their respective air forces.
Anduril shares that the drone incorporates lessons learned from its participation in the U.S. Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program.
We already know that both Rheinmetall and Anduril are cooperating with Ukraine, supplying weapons and technology to the beleaguered country. I’m sure that this collaboration between these two arms companies will have additional benefits for Ukraine.