(2026-R44) Version updates

Note: Your clusters might not have these versions available. Rollouts are already in progress when we publish the release notes, and can take multiple days to complete across all Google Cloud zones.

• Version 1.37.1-gke.1552000 is now the default version for cluster creation in the Rapid channel.
• The following versions are now available in the Rapid channel:
• 1.34.12-gke.1209000
• 1.35.8-gke.1975000
• 1.36.4-gke.2377000
• 1.37.1-gke.1697000
• Alpha version 1.38.0-gke.2884000+preview is now available for GKE alpha clusters in the Rapid channel.
• The following versions are no longer available in the Rapid channel:
• 1.34.12-gke.1011000
• 1.35.8-gke.1796000
• 1.36.4-gke.2046002
• 1.36.4-gke.2202002 is deprecated in the Rapid channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner.
• 1.36.4-gke.2304000 is deprecated in the Rapid channel. This version will be removed in 90 days, or at the end of support, if sooner.
• 1.37.0-gke.3503000
• Alpha version 1.38.0-gke.1002000+preview is no longer available in the Rapid channel.
• Clusters in this channel running the listed minor version have new general auto-upgrade targets. GKE can upgrade control planes and nodes to the following new versions with this release: