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NATO plans on initiating naval drone fleet
(MENAFN) NATO military leaders are planning to establish a fleet of unmanned surface vessels, with future expansions to include submersibles, to monitor the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. This initiative, modeled after a similar program by the U.S. Navy in the Persian Gulf, could be launched before NATO's next summit, scheduled for June 2025 in the Netherlands, according to French Admiral Pierre Vandier, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation.
Vandier noted that the technology for this project is already available, drawing comparisons to city CCTV systems. He highlighted that the U.S. has successfully operated Task Force 59 since 2021 in the Gulf, monitoring vast areas with unmanned vessels. This approach is seen as low-risk since the technology is already established, with the main challenge being adoption rather than development.
The NATO project is reportedly gaining support from NATO’s central maritime command and its operational headquarters. The initiative comes in response to a growing concern over damage to undersea cables in European waters, some of which have been attributed to potential sabotage, with suspicions directed at Russia, although evidence is lacking. A recent incident involving a cable between Finland and Sweden was later attributed to construction work.
Vandier, who took his NATO role in June, has experience as the Chief of Staff of the French Navy and in commanding the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. While NATO progresses on its drone fleet project, France has faced delays in its own efforts to integrate unmanned helicopters into its warships.
Vandier noted that the technology for this project is already available, drawing comparisons to city CCTV systems. He highlighted that the U.S. has successfully operated Task Force 59 since 2021 in the Gulf, monitoring vast areas with unmanned vessels. This approach is seen as low-risk since the technology is already established, with the main challenge being adoption rather than development.
The NATO project is reportedly gaining support from NATO’s central maritime command and its operational headquarters. The initiative comes in response to a growing concern over damage to undersea cables in European waters, some of which have been attributed to potential sabotage, with suspicions directed at Russia, although evidence is lacking. A recent incident involving a cable between Finland and Sweden was later attributed to construction work.
Vandier, who took his NATO role in June, has experience as the Chief of Staff of the French Navy and in commanding the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. While NATO progresses on its drone fleet project, France has faced delays in its own efforts to integrate unmanned helicopters into its warships.
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