Navy fights in international cooperation with and against drones

Testing and integrating robots and drones is an important step in preparing for the battles of the future. Unmanned systems will play an increasingly larger role. Therefore, there were two consecutive exercises. One focused on testing, developing, and trying out drones, in the air, on, and under water. The other applied the innovations in an operational environment.

The use of unmanned systems is certainly important for the various fleet groups of NATO. Two task groups were therefore present in the waters off Portugal. More than 260 different systems and technologies were tested by 19 warships from 22 NATO countries.

These were the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) and the Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group 2 (SNMCMG2). SNMG1 is one of the four NATO fleet groups that the alliance can continuously rely on for combat power, anywhere in the world. SNMCMG2 specializes in neutralizing mines.

Aboard SNMG1 member Zr.Ms. Johan de Witt, the crew tested counter techniques against unmanned aerial and naval vehicles. The goal was to take control of the drone or disable it with weapons.

On the water and from the shore, intelligence gathering and performing surveillance and reconnaissance tasks with drones were further tested. The ability to detect ships far beyond the horizon was also examined. Additionally, the navy aims to deploy unmanned systems in swarms. This requires specific software that connects different types of flying drones to the ships Combat Management System (CMS). This was also tested.

Since the navy primarily operates at sea, knowing what happens below the waterline can be crucial. Therefore, exercises were conducted with unmanned systems underwater. The Mine Countermeasures Module Group (MMG) deployed underwater robots from the MV Geosea. These mapped the seabed and identified (exercise) mines using remotely operated vehicles. Both prototypes are being prepared for use from the new minehunters and to train personnel.

By participating in these exercises up to today, the navy is taking an important step in preparing for the battles of the future. A fight with and against drones.