000010627 001__ 10627
000010627 005__ 20240531171548.0
000010627 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.24868/10627
000010627 037__ $$aGENERAL
000010627 245__ $$aThe Belgian - Dutch replacement MCM programme Innovative & (R)evolutionary
000010627 269__ $$a2022-07-28
000010627 336__ $$aConference Proceedings
000010627 520__ $$aRecent events have shown the importance of Sea Lines of Communication (SLOCs). The blocking of the Suez Canal had a major impact on the world economy. Just imagine if a terrorist group lay a sea mine in the same Suez Canal or in one of those other Choke Points (CP) our world economy relies on. A simple mine threat would have catastrophic ramifications impact on our daily life!
The Military has an obligation of success, effectiveness being more important than efficiency, to guarantee the success of military operations in protecting our world economy and overall way of life.
Belgian and Dutch Navy are world-renowned in the Naval Mine Warfare (NMW) and notably host the NATO Center of Excellence (CoE) of Eguermin in Belgium.
However, current Mines Counter Measures (MCM) solutions worldwide have a number of recognized shortfalls hampering the effectiveness and efficiency of MCM operation, namely:
? Limited transit speed;
? High operation time;
? Very limited covert operation capabilities;
? Risk for personnel;
? Ships with limited self-defence, communications means, endurance and staff facilities;
? Limited solution to counter drifting and buried mines.
To guarantee the effectiveness and efficiency of future MCM operations, the Belgian and Dutch Navies developed innovative & (r)evolutionary new Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the MCM warfare based on a modern stand-off solution that will address observed shortcomings of current MCM solutions.
In May 2019, as a result of this new CONOPS, an industrial consortium, was awarded the contract to supply twelve MCM vessels to both the Belgian and Dutch Navies; equipped with around 100 drones, constituting approximately ten drone systems (toolboxes).
The contract, worth around 1,8 billion euros, will last ten years. The first delivery of a Belgian ship with its toolbox is scheduled for December 2024.
For this CONOPS and associated rMCM programme to succeed, the Belgian and Dutch Navies will have to find the appropriate balance between ?operating risk? being linked to maintenance, training and maturity of the technology and ?operational risk? linked to the command decision and therefore the trust we place in technology.
This innovative, robust and reliable system ensures the safety of operators and maneuvers to protect the ship, the Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) and its payloads, while offering a high level of mission availability.
This paper presents the methodology used in the rMCM programme through which the Belgian and Dutch Navies, together with the industry, intend to produce a paradigm shift in MCM Warfare, in some ways similar to the one we encounter during World War (WWII) when the aircraft carrier replaced the cruiser as the highest value units of a fleet. Our solution, a decentralized system-of-system will pave the way and become an example for all navies worldwide.
000010627 542__ $$fCC-BY-NC-ND
000010627 6531_ $$aInnovation
000010627 6531_ $$aMCM
000010627 6531_ $$aSystem of Systems
000010627 6531_ $$aStand-Off
000010627 6531_ $$aBelgian Navy
000010627 6531_ $$aRoyal Netherlands Navy
000010627 7001_ $$aHock, R$$uBelgian Directorate General for Material Resources (Navy)
000010627 773__ $$tConference Proceedings of INEC
000010627 773__ $$jINEC 2022
000010627 85641 $$uhttps://www.imarest.org/events/category/categories/imarest-event/international-naval-engineering-conference-and-exhibition-2022
000010627 85641 $$yConference website
000010627 8564_ $$91c7afcc4-439d-4879-a880-27e08f1e8486$$s1117201$$uhttps://library.imarest.org/record/10627/files/INEC_2022_paper_13.pdf
000010627 980__ $$aConference Proceedings