BELGIUM NAVAL & ROBOTICS selects iXblue for the forefront sonars and inertial navigation system for 12 mine countermeasures vessels.

According to a press release published by Belgium Naval & Robotics on March 12, 2021, the consortium selects IXblue as the supplier of the forefront sonars and the navigation system for the Belgian and Dutch mine countermeasures vessels. These new assets will grant superior capabilities to the ships in terms of increased detectability with the sonars and higher reliability and safety for the navigation system.
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Detail of the illustration of future Belgian and Dutch mine countermeasures (Picture source: Belgium Naval & Robotics)

iXblue, will provide the inertial navigation solutions for the naval platforms of the MCMV program, from surface ships to surface and submerged UAVs and Towed Sonars.

By ensuring resilient navigation and positioning, as well as extreme accuracy and real-time detection and analysis of mines, obstacles and other detected objects, Ixblue will offer a complete and fully integrated navigation solution that will contribute to the protection of Mine Countermeasures vessels and their crews.

The front sonar FLS 60 will ensure a precise and real-time detection of mines while iXblue’s inertial navigation system will provide resilient and reliable navigation information under all circumstances.

BELGIUM NAVAL & ROBOTICS – a Naval Group and ECA GOUP consortium – was awarded a contract in 2019 for twelve mine countermeasures vessels and their drone systems for the Belgian and Royal Netherlands Navies. After a design period of three years conducted by Naval Group, Kership will execute the detailed design and production phase for the motherships. The program will span over more than 10 years.

Six ships will be delivered to the Belgian Navy and six to the Royal Netherlands Navy with a first delivery scheduled for 2024. They will be equipped with complete drone systems supplied by ECA GROUP containing a total of more than eighty underwater, surface and aerial drones entirely dedicated to Mine Countermeasures operations.