ECA Group, an expert in robotics, automated systems, simulation and industrial processes, will build its new plant in the port of Ostend in order to carry out the contract to supply their unmanned systems for the 12 minesweepers of the Belgian and Dutch navies.

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) signed a contract agreement with Saab Dynamics for the development of a new "self-propelled sea mine" prototype.

The Belgian-Dutch Mine Counter Measure (MCM) program is making significant progress according to Naval Group. After the successful initial trials, the French shipbuilder is quietly progressing towards the industrialization phase. The current ramp-up phase will soon result in the creation of a dedicated subsidiary in Belgium by year-end.

On December 12, 2019, Japan Marine United (JMU) held a launching ceremony for the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) newest minesweeper Etajima (MSO-306) at its shipyard in Yokohama.

According to a local newspaper, the Bulgarian government green-lighted the acquisition of two Tripartite-class mine countermeasure vessels (MCM) from the Royal Netherlands Navy for around EUR2.4 million.

The U.S. Navy is taking offensive mining more seriously under the National Defense Strategy and is working to bring new technologies and tactics to the fleet to modernize mine warfare for a high-end fight.

At MADEX 2019 in Busan (South Korea), a new Mine Countermeasures Helicopter (MCH) variant is being pitched by Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) to answer the ROK Navy requirement for a new airborne countermeasures capability.

Raytheon demonstrated an integrated capability using two future unmanned technologies during the 2019 Advanced Naval Technology Exercise (ANTX).

USNS Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams (T-ESB 4) recently completed a three-day underway in the Chesapeake Bay to integrate a Littoral Combat Ship Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Mission Package on the Expeditionary Sea Base platform.