ECA Group and iXblue strenghten partnership for MCM systems replacement program for Belgian and Dutch navies.

ECA Group and iXblue strengthen their partnership and sign a contract for underwater navigation and positioning systems as well as obstacle avoidance sonars as part of the MCM systems replacement program for the Belgian and Dutch Navies.
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The Toolbox developed by ECA GROUP includes drones that will be deployed by operators to perform autonomous mine clearance missions at sea. It contains the INSPECTOR125 surface drone, SKEDAR V-200 aerial drones, A18- submarine drones. M, T18 towed sonars for mine detection as well as SEASCAN and K-STER C MIDS (Mine Identification and Disposal System) for mine identification and neutralization (Picture source: ECA Group)

As part of the program to replace the mine action capability of the Belgian and Dutch navies, including the delivery of twelve mine hunters equipped with drones (Toolbox), ECA GROUP has signed an agreement with iXblue for the delivery of FLS sonars (forward-looking sonars) as well as inertial navigation and underwater positioning and acoustic communication systems.

The Toolbox developed by ECA GROUP includes drones that will be deployed by operators to perform autonomous mine clearance missions at sea. It contains the INSPECTOR125 surface drone, SKEDAR V-200 aerial drones, A18- submarine drones. M, T18 towed sonars for mine detection as well as SEASCAN and K-STER C MIDS (Mine Identification and Disposal System) for mine identification and neutralization.

These drones are tasked with navigating, detecting and avoiding obstacles, tracking vehicles and performing underwater communication between aerial drones at a very high level of performance. Through this 10-year agreement, iXblue is committed to providing equipment suited to the high level of performance demanded by ECA GROUP.

iXblue is responsible for providing the following equipment:
- FLS 150 sonars, which will be mounted on the surface drone so that this drone is able to avoid obstacles and map in real time in order to ensure the safety of navigation;
- High performance Gaps M7 USBL positioning and communication systems. The Gaps M7 system and its respective transponders and beacons, will be mounted on the surface drone and on the Naval Group mine warfare vessel allowing to trace underwater drones, SEASCAN, K-STER C and towed sonars, all ensuring underwater communication between underwater drones and surface drones or the ship;
- Inertial navigation systems (INS) Phins Compact Series dedicated to AUVS and towed sonars and which will provide robust and very high precision navigation information (position, heading, attitude, speed, pitch and depth) to underwater drones and towed sonars.

“We are very happy to work with iXblue, a renowned expert in the field of navigation, positioning and underwater imagery. Our respective areas of expertise are complementary and our teams have already collaborated effectively in the past. This partnership is important to us; I am confident that our next steps in the Belgian-Dutch mine action program will be carried out, ”said Jean-Louis Sambarino, program director.

"We would like to thank ECA GROUP for their renewed confidence in this major program", specifies Jean-Marc Binois, sales director at iXblue. "ECA GROUP has used our inertial navigation and acoustic positioning systems for many years now, and the fact that ECA GROUP selects our FLS sonar for this strategic mine action program further confirms our long-standing partnership. We are very proud to be able to take a new step in this partnership between two French high technology companies and we look forward to our continued collaboration on future programs. "

ECA GROUP will provide the Belgian Navy and the Royal Dutch Navy with the first stand-off concept materialized by the use of a Toolbox - a UMIS system made up of different drones to perform autonomous mine clearance missions at sea.

UMIS is an interoperable system capable of performing the more demanding maritime mine clearance missions, while allowing crews to stay a safe distance from the minefield. Drone missions are planned, executed, supervised and evaluated through a single UMISOFT interface.