Estonian Defense tech Startup Frankenburg Technologies Hires Chief Missile Engineer.
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A game-changer: Missile engineer Andreas Bappert joins Estonian DefenseTech startup Frankenburg as CTO.
Amid Europe's ongoing race for better deterrence, an Estonian defense startup has made one of the industry's biggest hires in recent months. Frankenburg Technologies, barely a year old but quickly making its mark in the missile defense sector, has appointed Andreas Bappert, one of Europe's most respected missile experts, as its new chief engineering officer.
Mr. Bappert has an exceptional background; his three-decade career in missile development began with the Luftwaffe, the German air force, before leading several missile programs in Europe and the United States. At DIEHL Defense, his most recent role, he oversaw the development of air defense systems and helped secure multi-billion euro contracts in just two years. "Bappert is Europe's best racial scientist," says Frankenburg CEO Kusti Salm, who recently left his position as permanent secretary at the Estonian Ministry of Defense to lead the startup. "This is exactly what we want by developing technology that can win wars." »
In addition to Salm, former commander of the Estonian Defense Forces, General Martin Herem, has joined the startup as an advisor, bringing decades of experience in military strategy. They are supported by Taavi Madiberk, known for his success with Skeleton Technologies, who is both a majority shareholder and strategic visionary.
The timing of Bappert's appointment is telling. Frankenburg recently announced plans to test its air defense missiles in Ukraine in early 2025, while simultaneously preparing to establish operations in the United Kingdom. The company has spent £45m researching and developing low-cost rocket engines in Britain as part of a wider strategy to integrate into Western Europe's defence infrastructure.
What attracted such talent to a Tallinn-based start-up? Bappert's answer: "What Frankenburg is trying to do is the future of the rocket industry," he said on his first day at the company. "This is the only real industrial strategy that will guarantee freedom and prosperity for Europe."
The company's ambitious goal – to develop missile systems that are ten times more affordable and can be produced a hundred times faster than current alternatives – may seem implausible to a traditional defence contractor. But Frankenburg's unconventional approach, which includes operations in Estonia, Latvia and Ukraine, has attracted serious attention and investment. The company has already secured a deal for trials in Ukraine, where Frankenburg's promises of faster, cheaper missiles will be tested in real-world conditions for the first time. In Latvia, where Frankenburg is collaborating with rocket designer Andrejs Puķītis, prototype rockets have reached altitudes of more than a kilometer.
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