Exail Robotics secures €60 million NATO contract for underwater mine disposal vehicles
The Exail K-Ster C robotic mine clearance vehicle can help safely detonate legacy ordnance. (Photo: Exail Robotics)
The contract covers disposal and training vehicles for the Belgian and Dutch navies.
Exail Robotics Belgium has won a €60 million (US$66.8 million) contract to supply underwater mine disposal vehicles and training vehicles and associated equipment to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for the primary use of both the Belgian Navy and Royal Netherlands Navy.
The company will supply its K-Ster C underwater mine disposal vehicles and K-Ster CT training vehicles, along with all the necessary operating equipment, from its Belgian facility in Oostende. That factory, inaugurated in 2022, already produces a range of drones for both navies as part of the modernisation programme being applied to their mine counter measure capabilities.
The K-Ster C is an expendable mine disposal vehicle. Developed for efficient mine neutralisation, it is fitted with a powerful shaped charge that lets it deal with all current types of underwater mines. Its guidance system allow for precise targeting and detonation, so mine counter measure operations can safely clear underwater minefields.
Related Articles
Oostende mine countermeasures vessel begins sea trials
The K-Ster CT is a dedicated training version of the same device, using a dummy warhead to avoid the risk of explosion during training with the tool. The contract will allow the Dutch and Belgium navies to both put the active mine clearance vehicles to work in the field and train new mine clearance operators on the technology to deliver a pipeline of people trained in the safe operation of the vehicles.
Procurement through the NSPA allows multiple national navies to jointly procure defence technology that will help all nations involved – in this case, to clear the seas where they operate of both legacy mines and any new munitions going forward.
More from Uncrewed Vehicles
-
![Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)]()
Cummings Aerospace showcases Hellhound loitering munition designed for US Army’s LASSO programme (video)
Cummings Aerospace presented its turbojet-powered Hellhound loitering munition at SOF Week 2025, offering a man-portable solution aligned with the US Army’s LASSO requirements.
-
![SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale]()
SOF Week 2025: PDW unveils attritable FPV drone for SOF operations at scale
PDW has revealed its Attritable Multirotor First Person View drone at SOF Week 2025, offering special operations forces a low-cost, rapidly deployable platform for strike and ISR missions, inspired by battlefield lessons from Ukraine.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions]()
SOF Week 2025: Teledyne FLIR white paper provides guidance on reusable loitering munitions
Teledyne FLIR is highlighting the emerging requirements for 'recoverable and re-usable' loitering munitions across the contemporary operating environment during this week’s SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida.
-
![SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America]()
SOF Week 2025: Kraken Technology group debuts K3 Scout USV in North America
High-performance maritime industry player Kraken Technology Group, based in the UK, has used the SOF Week conference in Tampa, Florida this week to debut its K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessel (USV) to the North American market.
-
![Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military]()
Palladyne AI and Red Cat to demonstrate capabilities for autonomous drone swarms to the US military
Red Cat and Palladyne AI recently conducted a cross-platform collaborative flight involving three diverse heterogeneous drones.
-
![Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures]()
Jammer resistant drone designs spark search for countermeasures
The Russia-Ukraine conflict has driven another stage of evolution for drones and the counter measures to defend against them.
