At Euronaval in early November, Diehl Defence and FLANQ Defence unveiled Q-Strike, an autonomous/uncrewed surface vessel (AUV/PUSV), intended as a strike asset for the German and allied navies.
The discreet revelation of a Q-Strike scale model on the Diehl stand at the Villepinte exhibition follows the September signature of a strategic collaboration MoU between the two companies seeking to accelerate and deepen their relationship in the field of autonomous naval platforms. Q-Strike embodies an initial step towards this goal, combining FLANQ’s experience in sensor fusion, mission software and autonomy with Diehl’s family of effectors and long-established expertise in the development and industrialisation of complex defence systems.
Conceived specifically for the strike mission, Q-Strike evidently embodies lessons learned from close observation of events in the Black Sea over the past four years or more. The partnership’s goal, as stated at Euronaval, is to field a demonstrator within a year, creating a baseline from which further evaluation, test and development can be conducted. Detailed specifications have yet to be made public, but it can be reasonably assumed that the modular design will allow for a variety of weapons to be mounted, ranging from the IRIS-T missile to any one or more of a number of naval munitions calibres. The industrial logic is evident: a strike platform conceived and built in Europe, building on proven European expertise. At a moment when every continental naval authority is re-evaluating the relevance of autonomous platforms, Q-Strike might well be viewed as a German bid for visibility and inclusion in the ranks of viable competitors for imminent procurement competitions.
Image shows a rendering of the Q-Strike in a maritime operational scenario. (Diehl Defence)
