NATO experts discuss unmanned underwater warfare trends
More than 230 representatives from Allied nations, NATO staffs and the defence industry gathered at NATO headquarters for a three day symposium (4-5 December 2019) to address the latest trends in unmanned underwater warfare. Organised by NATO’s Maritime Unmanned Systems Initiative – or MUSI – experts focused on operational challenges in the maritime domain and the latest technological developments in unmanned underwater systems. Industry partners also displayed many of their latest innovative systems and technology.
“This was a fantastic event and the culmination of a highly successful first year of MUSI, which has a proven record of delivering meaningful results for the Alliance at pace”, said Captain Michael Brasseur, the director of the MUS Innovation and Coordination Cell at NATO headquarters.
A key note was delivered by Commodore Mike Knott CBE, the Assistant Chief of Staff for Maritime Capability in the UK Navy. High on the agenda where questions of how unmanned underwater systems could better support anti-submarine warfare operations, defence against mines, and intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance. The symposium was the second-largest MUSI event in 2019. Planned activities for 2020 include a major naval exercise in Portugal and the United Kingdom-led focus on anti-submarine operations.
MUSI was formed in October 2018. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States pool their resources and expertise to create better, more flexible and more interoperable unmanned, maritime vehicles and systems.