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US defence tech group Anduril will team up with Germany’s Rheinmetall to develop drones for Europe, as US companies seek to use their technological expertise to secure a share of rising defence spending in the region. The two companies said on Wednesday they will jointly develop European variants of Anduril’s Barracuda and Fury aerial drones, as well as exploring opportunities to build solid rocket motors, used to propel missiles and rockets. “This is a different model of defence collaboration, one built on shared production, operational relevance and mutual respect for sovereignty,” said Brian Schimpf, chief executive of Anduril. The US technology start-up has several partnerships with European companies, including Rheinmetall, but Anduril on Wednesday emphasised that the new venture was focused on creating a sovereign capability in Germany and Europe. There is concern among some of the traditional US defence groups that they could lose out on lucrative defence contracts as European governments seek to build up their domestic capabilities. Donald Trump’s administration has made clear that the US is no longer prepared to help pay for Europe’s security. Anduril is the most prominent of a group of technology-led defence start-ups aiming to break the dominance of traditional manufacturers by promising faster innovation.