Belgium and Netherlands Advance Robotic Mine Countermeasures with New Technocentre

A new Mine Countermeasures (MCM) Technocentre, established as part of the Belgian-Dutch replacement Mine Countermeasures (rMCM) programme, will focus on the prototyping and testing of drone and robotic technologies for naval applications. The centre aims to accelerate the development and integration of innovative solutions for detecting and neutralizing sea mines.

Technocentre Focus: Innovation and Industrial Collaboration

The MCM Technocentre will serve as a hub for several ongoing projects, including containerization of drones, long-range communication drones and connected bracelets enabling divers to remotely pilot underwater drones. The centre’s approach emphasizes testing and refinement before transitioning projects to industrial production, fostering a streamlined development process.

Complementing Existing Innovation Ecosystems

This new Technocentre complements Belgium’s existing innovation infrastructure, specifically the MCM Lab and the MCM Cyber incubators. These incubators bring together academic institutions, research laboratories, and industrial partners to advance technological building blocks with a high level of maturity. The collaboration aims to create a comprehensive ecosystem for MCM innovation.

Local Supply Chain and Industrial Benefits

Projects developed at the MCM Technocentre will be transitioned to production with Belgian industrial partners, promoting a localized supply chain. This strategy ensures that the Belgian navy is involved from the initial identification of needs, leading to products specifically tailored for operational requirements.

Cormorant Drone Project: A Sovereign Solution

The dynamic between the Technocentre, industry, and the navy is exemplified by the Cormorant project, a multi-environment aerial drone developed as a sovereign Belgian solution. Presented during the Naval Innovation Days in September 2025, the drone underwent extensive testing in Belgium and abroad, including participation in the Repmus 2025 exercise. Demonstrations conducted in collaboration with Naval Group Belgium, the Free University of Brussels and Sabena Engineering garnered significant interest from armed forces. Exail reports that Naval Group Belgium and Sabena Engineering are currently working on the system’s evolution and potential industrialization and marketing.

Strengthening the Belgian Defence Industrial and Technological Base

Vincent Martinot-Lagarde, Director Surface Buildings at Naval Group, emphasized the Technocentre’s role in strengthening the mine countermeasures ecosystem in Belgium and the defence industrial and technological base (BITD). Daniele Carati, Director of the Research Department of the Free University of Brussels, highlighted the long-term collaboration between the university and Naval Group, contributing to the impact of research conducted at the university.

rMCM Programme Milestones

The establishment of the MCM Technocentre builds upon recent progress in the rMCM programme. The first MCM toolbox was delivered in Zeebrugge on March 2, 2026, by Belgium Naval & Robotics, with Exail responsible for its design and production. The first ship of the series, Oostende, was handed over in November 2025. A total of 12 mine countermeasure vessels are being built under the rMCM programme for the Belgian Navy and the Royal Netherlands Navy, with six vessels allocated to each nation.