New anti-mine technology delivered to French and Royal Norwegian navies
Drone-based mine counter measures will soon be in place in the form of USVs for the French and British navies. (Photo: Thales)
Thales and Patria are among the companies to have supplied European navies with systems to combat the growing sea mine threat.
The French Navy has taken possession of the world’s first mine counter measures system based around uncrewed vehicles from Thales.
As part of the Franco-British Maritime Mine Counter Measures (MCMM) programme, the drones take human operators out of potential danger zones while maintaining effective mine counter measures.
The first system delivered to the French Navy included an unmanned surface vehicle (USV) equipped with a towed sonar, which allowed the USV to detect and classify naval mines.
The system could be operated either from the safety of the land, from a mother ship, or even from an opportunistic vessel. With autonomous functioning
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power]()
Maritime defence in the Mediterranean faces challenges from vulnerable land power
As an indispensable energy crossroads, the Mediterranean is at serious risk from grey zone disruption. As navies increasingly employ AI data centres, what happens when cutting-edge defence technologies rely on the very infrastructure most susceptible to hybrid tactics?
-
![US Navy to conduct an experimentation campaign with emerging tech in 2026 and 2027]()
US Navy to conduct an experimentation campaign with emerging tech in 2026 and 2027
The Technology Operational Experimentation Events will inform future requirements as the US Navy looks for innovative solutions across three key operational domains.
-
![US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection]()
US Navy to acquire micro-uncrewed underwater vehicles for ISR and coastal data collection
The Naval Supply Systems Command is seeking authorised resellers of JaiaBot uncrewed underwater vehicles and multivehicle pods. The platforms will support undergraduate education at the US Naval Academy.
