Naval Group is currently working on three programs calling for the integrations of USVs on mothership:
- The rMCM program and the Belgian Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy. Sea trials of the Inspector 125 USV designed by ECA Group have started in the Summer of 2021.
- The MRCV program of the Republic of Singapore Navy for which Naval Group is bidding against other competitors.
- The French/British MMCM/SLAMF program in which Naval Group is set to provide the future mine warfare motherships known as “bâtiments de guerre des mines” (BGDM).
According to Naval Group, the physical integration of a drone, whether airborne, surface or underwater, with a ship is a particularly extensive process that calls on all of Naval Group’s skills. Drones are an essential component of the future collaborative warfare as they offer a new way out of isolation thanks to the exchange of information collected in real time between ships. As an integral part of the ship, the drone becomes a vital organ and an extension of the ship’s field of action.