Unmanned Maritime Systems
The programme “European Unmanned Maritime Systems for MCM and other naval applications” was approved in November 2009 by the Defence Ministers Steering Board as a
Category A programme combined with a group of
Category B projects. It is the first R&T programme to emerge out of the European Defence Research and Technology (EDRT)
Strategy of November 2008, where “Uninhabited naval systems” was identified as one of the 22 R&T priorities. This priority was further substantiated through a number of workshops involving European naval experts and the inputs from EDA pMS and industry. These workshops revealed that the theme “Uninhabited naval systems” was strongly linked to capability needs, and primarily to the CDP priority “Mine Counter-Measures in littoral sea area”.
Unmanned vehicles are soon expected to be an integral part of modern fleets. However, the European naval industry remains fragmented, and national industrial ambitions are still strong. Therefore the UMS programme aims at creating a European system of systems, based on various national systems, vehicles and components. It will address interoperability, standardization, modularity, inter-changeability of modules and best practices. The discussions on interfaces and standardization may in the long term pave the way for a single European Unmanned Underwater or Surface Vehicle.
The large number of UMS R&T projects and their interconnections imply a strong need for coordination. For this reason, the UMS programme will be split into two levels. The lower level will include all the R&T projects launched within the UMS programme, but also any other relevant EDA R&T projects. The upper level will consist in a “System integration project”, which will focus on the technical coordination, recommendations on interfaces and the identification of future areas for R&T.
The envisaged vehicle of collaboration for UMS is innovative, and identified through the acronym “JIP-Category B”. In practice, it is planned that pMS wishing to contribute will transfer funds to the EDA, as it is the case for the Joint Investment Programmes. However, pMS will decide individually to which R&T projects they shall take part. They will retain control over their financial contributions, and their experts will define the technical content of the projects in cooperation with industry. A major advantage resides in the reduction of the administrative burden by using a single Programme Arrangement, covering all R&T Projects.
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