**Location and Context**
In late September, a large, penguin-like autonomous underwater vehicle named Greyshark was tested near Sesimbra, Portugal, located an hour from Lisbon. This activity was part of NATO’s Dynamic Messenger and REPMUS exercises, which focused on various unmanned systems in local waters for three weeks.
**Details of the Greyshark**
The Greyshark, manufactured by Germany’s EuroAtlas, measures 6.5 meters in length and weighs as much as a delivery van. It is equipped with high-resolution sonars, LIDAR scanners, electromagnetic detection capabilities, and camera systems. It was tested for hunting submarines and searching for decoy mines, with a potential operational range of up to 8,000 nautical miles, equivalent to a round trip from Sesimbra to New York.
**Training Objectives**
A significant portion of the training emphasized mine countermeasures warfare and safeguarding critical underwater infrastructure. Commanders trained in coordinating multiple robotic systems for complex mine hunting operations, highlighting the increased complexity of command and control due to the integration of more unmanned systems.
**Other Technologies Demonstrated**
In addition to the Greyshark, the German Navy showcased two other naval drones from Evolutionics: the Sonobot unmanned surface vessel and the Quadroin autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The Sonobot functioned as a “surface gateway,” facilitating underwater positioning and data networks for other systems, and is also used by the Ukrainian military.
**Innovative Swarm Technology**
The Quadroin’s capabilities included operating in swarms to locate mines, which featured a new level of operational efficiency as seen in a demonstration on September 23. The Quadroins successfully detected and identified mines, delivering video evidence during a single mission.
**Mission Progression and Challenges**
Each week, exercise scenarios grew more challenging, including sudden changes to mission parameters that led to strict time constraints. The French Navy evaluated the A9-M AUV for naval mine warfare operations, emphasizing the future integration of artificial intelligence for improved threat classification.
**Technical Challenges Encountered**
Despite advancements, challenges persisted. The British Navy’s REMUS 100 AUV experienced overheating issues during collaborative missions with the U.S. and Dutch Navies. The German Navy also faced setbacks, including collisions between two Sonobots and damage to a French A-9M system due to an incursion by a fishing boat.
**Conclusion**
The exercises highlighted the growing capabilities of unmanned aerial and underwater systems in military operations, alongside the ongoing development and integration of newer technologies such as artificial intelligence to enhance efficacy in tasks like mine detection and warfare.
