Exail Technologies press release
EXAIL Technologies has signed an order worth nearly €60 million for the Belgian and Dutch navies. This order is part of the BENL program, which aims to equip both navies with twelve robotic systems for underwater mine countermeasures. With this order, Exail will deliver several hundred K-STER drones, enabling the navies to carry out comprehensive demining missions.
K-STER drones operate in the final phase of missions to neutralize underwater threats previously identified by other drones in the UMIS system. These are “consumable” drones that are destroyed during the mine neutralization process. They will be mass-produced at the drone assembly site in Ostend, Belgium, thus benefiting from industrial volume effects.
This order highlights the specificities of Exail’s business model in maritime robotic systems: following an initial order, each contract generates additional revenue to meet clients’ needs over many years. These orders can include consumables such as K-STER drones, and also spare parts, operational maintenance of the systems, complementary services, and functional upgrades of hardware and software. In terms of the number of robots, this order is the largest in the company’s history. It marks a shift to industrial-scale production.
The BENL program continues to progress. The first vessel, built by the partner Naval Group, successfully conducted its initial sea trials in July. It integrates inertial navigation systems and sonars from Exail, which have fully met expectations.
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Naval News comments:
K-STER is an expendable mine disposal system developed by Exail (then known as ECA GROUP) in 2008. Inheriting from the successful PAP solution and benefitting from the latest technologies and R&D development, this Remotely Operated Vehicle is dedicated to underwater mine countermeasures. This sea proven solution allows to neutralise mine while keeping crew safe. Operators can run the drone from a command and control unit located outside of the minefield, whether onboard a ship or from the land – in this case, the K-STER can be automatically deployed from an USV platform.
Designed with tiltable shape charge, the K-STER can neutralize all kinds of mines from sea bottom mines, floating mines, historical mines to the smartest mines. Its unique propulsion architecture allows to stand strong water currents and approach the mine to its closest. Safety characteristics includes insensitive ammunition & multi-pole safety interlocks until the final firing.
Existing end-users include the Republic of Singapore Navy and the Lithuanian Navy.
The systems, for this new contract, will likely be produced at the new Exail factory located in Ostend, Belgium.
