Rumors that European defense giant Rheinmetall plans to acquire German naval shipbuilder Naval Vessels Lürssen (NVL) have been confirmed.
Multiple sources have confirmed that Rheinmetall has reached key terms with the Lürssen Group regarding the acquisition of Naval Vessels Lürssen and all its subsidiaries. The parties plan to finalize transaction details shortly and expect to complete the acquisition in early 2026, subject to approval by relevant antitrust authorities. Both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.
Through this major strategic acquisition, Rheinmetall will expand its corporate portfolio into naval shipbuilding and consolidate its position as a leading defense technology supplier in Germany and Europe.
Armin Papperger, CEO of Rheinmetall AG, said: “We are creating a naval powerhouse in Germany.” He added: “In future, we will be a relevant player on land, on water, in the air and in space. Rheinmetall is thus developing into a cross-domain system house.”
Armin Papperger: “With the newly agreed acquisition, we are taking a decisive step forward in consolidating the defence industry in Germany and Europe. Combined with Rheinmetall’s expertise, we are creating a vital German powerhouse for state-of-the-art vessels. The combined capabilities of Rheinmetall and NVL will generate mutual growth and thus strengthen our corporation’s position in the naval sphere. At the same time, we are making a substantial contribution to strengthening the naval defence capabilities of Germany and its NATO allies”.
Armin Papperger: “This acquisition will not only make us a manufacturer of floating platforms. As an integrated naval powerhouse, we want to offer complete system solutions. In future programmes, we will provide our customers with all high-quality components from our partner network, delivered as an integrated solution from a single source: naval missiles and launchers, main and secondary guns for the navy, missile defence, sensors and other electronics. For combat management systems, we want to enable the integration and Germanisation of existing solutions from our partner network”.
Following the transaction, Naval Vessels Lürssen’s shipyards will provide existing, well-established heavy infrastructure, employee expertise, and equipment capabilities. This will enable Rheinmetall to minimize excessive infrastructure investment or major retrofits to other production lines.
Naval Vessels Lürssen is the result of consolidation within Germany’s military shipbuilding sector. As a privately owned shipbuilding group, it originated from Lürssen Defence, which became an independent entity after Lürssen Group spun off its yacht and defense operations in 2021.
Naval Vessels Lürssen now comprises four shipyards in northern Germany, featuring 13 dry docks, modern shipbuilding workshops, and specialized factories capable of constructing and maintaining naval vessels and coast guard ships ranging from 20 to 200 meters in length.
New shipbuilding operations are concentrated at the Peene-Werft shipyard in Wolgast and the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg; repair, conversion, and modernization activities are centered at the Norderwerft shipyard in Hamburg and the Neue Jadewerft shipyard in Wilhelmshaven. The product portfolio encompasses frigates, patrol vessels, destroyers, minesweepers and coast guard vessels.
Naval Vessels Lürssen operates globally with approximately 2,100 employees. Since its founding, the company has constructed around 1,000 vessels delivered to over 50 navies and coast guards worldwide. As Germany’s leading naval shipbuilder following Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems (TKMS) under Thyssenkrupp, In 2024, the company achieved operating revenue of 1 billion euros.
According to records, Rheinmetall is a comprehensive German technology group founded in 1889 and headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany. It specializes in armored vehicles, artillery systems, and defense products, serving as a leading international systems supplier in the defense industry.