Drone integration on multipurpose ship BSAM enhances France maritime surveillance in Baltic.

According to information published by Mer et Marine on June 23, 2025, the French Navy deployed the multipurpose support ship BSAM Garonne to the Baltic Sea as part of a major NATO-led experimental exercise conducted between June 5 and 20. The operation, in preparation for the 2025 edition of the Dynamic Messenger exercise, was aimed at testing the integration of autonomous systems into multinational naval operations. It was also part of Task Force X, a NATO initiative focused on technological innovation and the protection of critical maritime infrastructure.
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The BSAM is built for versatility and modularity, allowing for the deployment of robotic systems (Picture source: French MoD)

BSAM Garonne is a 70-meter-long vessel with a displacement of 2,950 tons, designed for force support, protection of people and assets, and maritime policing. It is equipped with two diesel engines, a crane, two 12.7 mm machine guns, multiple small boats, and has a towing capacity of 80 tons. The ship is built for versatility and modularity, allowing for the deployment of robotic systems. It is normally based in Brest, one of the two home ports for the four BSAM vessels currently in service with the French Navy.

Aboard the Garonne, three French unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and one unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) were deployed for the demonstration. The first system, the MAGELLAN USV600 from shipbuilder Couach, is a six-meter-long USV made of carbon and Kevlar composite. It is powered by a hybrid diesel-electric system and can operate for five days at low speed with reduced acoustic signature. Designed for electronic warfare, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, it features high modularity, over 500 liters of payload capacity, and a control system that can be operated from ship or shore.

The second USV, the Beluga, developed by SeaOwl Technology, incorporates Videosoft’s FireLight™ real-time video streaming platform, enabling ISR, infrastructure protection, and SAR missions even under degraded communication conditions. The system provides encrypted, low-latency video streams and can be operated by non-specialist personnel thanks to an intuitive interface.

The third USV, the Seaquest-S developed by Sirehna, a Naval Group subsidiary, is a 9.3-meter modular platform capable of reaching 35 knots and ranges up to 530 nautical miles. Designed for missions such as surveillance, target identification, and reconnaissance, the Seaquest-S can be launched without modification from a host vessel and supports various mission modules thanks to its open architecture.

The UAV deployed was the HP30 by Diodon, a waterproof inflatable drone engineered for maritime ISR missions. Weighing under 2 kg and deployable in less than a minute, the HP30 offers 30 minutes of flight time and a range of three nautical miles. It is particularly suited for operations in humid or confined environments and supports both day and night reconnaissance.

This demonstration in the Baltic Sea highlights NATO’s increasing focus on autonomous maritime systems and reflects France’s commitment to this area of development. By combining national industrial capabilities with naval operational assets, the mission contributes to the ongoing evolution of operational concepts for unmanned systems. The deployment of BSAM Garonne and its onboard drones underscores the French Navy’s capacity to integrate high-value autonomous technologies into complex multinational maritime operations.