NATO allies conduct exercises to test new maritime unmanned systems
Europe, News September 20, 2022 1 Comment on NATO allies conduct exercises to test new maritime unmanned systemsAbout 1,500 military and civilian personnel from NATO and partner countries are conducting REPMUS 22 exercise in Portugal to support the alliance’s Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative.
NATO allies have gathered for two maritime exercises that are being held in areas around the Troia Peninsula. The ongoing REPMUS 22 Exercise began on September 12 and would last until September 22.
Experts from NATO partner countries, NATO Centres of Excellence, the NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), as well as industry and academia are participating in the exercises and testing the coordination of unmanned systems above the water, on the water and under the sea.
According to a statement released by NATO, “Approximately 120 unmanned assets are being integrated into a single network for a range of experimentation scenarios.” The exercise is led by Portugal and supports the NATO Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative.
REPMUS is the largest annual robotics exercise and this year it is aimed at testing the interoperability of new maritime unmanned systems. The exercise brings together international navies, as well as professionals and industrial researchers to practice new technologies and concepts.
NATO’s Defence Investment Division Director for Armament and Aerospace Capabilities, Giorgio Cioni stated that “This is the first time that so many NATO nations have the opportunity to test the effectiveness of so many systems, concepts, techniques and procedures related to Maritime Unmanned Systems, ensuring they can work seamlessly together.”
NATO partners will begin another exercise named “DYNAMIC MESSENGER 22” which will take place from September 23 to 30. The exercise aims to integrate NATO’s maritime unmanned systems into maritime operations.
According to the NATO statement, “It will be the first-ever exercise with a focus on unmanned underwater systems held under NATO command and on integrating unmanned systems into NATO naval task groups. The exercise will test Alliance readiness to use unmanned systems to counter security challenges ranging from conventional submarine threats, to sea mines and asymmetric threats.”
DYNAMIC MESSENGER 22 Exercise will be conducted under the joint leadership of NATO’s Allied Command Transformation in the United States and NATO’s Allied Maritime Command MARCOM in Northwood, UK. It would include NATO’s Standing Naval Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and Standing NATO Maritime Counter Measures Group 1 (SNMCMG1).
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[…] month, about 1,500 military and civilian personnel from NATO and partner states conducted REPMUS 22 exercise in Portugal. The NATO Allies integrated about 120 unmanned assets into a single network for […]