Thales has demonstrated the capabilities of its drone-based mine countermeasure system to find and neutralize submerged threats remotely.
During a trial conducted in France, the company remotely deployed its unmanned, underwater vessel to identify sea mines and install exercise charges to complete the neutralization cycle. A Thales team in a facility in Brest, France, served as the Portable Operation Center for the test.
The French Navy supported the sea trial.
A key component of the mine countermeasure drone is the M-Cube mission management system, which can integrate and control multiple uncrewed vehicles.
The trial is part of the Maritime Mine Counter Measures program, which aims to provide the UK Royal Navy and the French Navy with complete drone-based mine countermeasures technology. Thales serves as the program’s primary prime contractor and lead systems integrator.
“We are fully committed to providing the French Navy and the Royal Navy with the most innovative technologies in order to protect their strategic assets and keep naval personnel out of harm’s way, said Gwendoline Blandin-Roger, vice president of underwater systems at Thales. “These latest milestones offer further proof of our unflagging determination to meet these goals.”
