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Date Published: 20/09/2021
ARCHIVED - Spanish Navy to begin using unmanned boats
An automated vessel is already in operation in Spain’s enclave of Ceuta
With the aim of increasing surveillance capabilities against illegal trafficking, immigration and piracy, amongst other criminal activities, the Spanish Navy has announced that it intends to acquire its first Unmanned Surface Vehicle, or USV, in 2022.
In preparation, Spain will participate in the largest NATO experiment of its kind between September 13 and 24, when unmanned vessels will take to the waters of Troia and Sesimbra in Portugal as part of the ‘REP MUS 21’ exercise.
According to Lieutenant Ignacio Vicente Salas, who will supervise the project involving three Spanish prototype vessels, it is hoped that the same strides made in aviation can be applied to the maritime environment, as has happened in several other countries.
“Spain is trying to get on the bandwagon of this technology as quickly as possible”, explained Lieutenant Commander Jaime Rodríguez Tortosa, who added that next year even more manoeuvres involving up to four unmanned ships are planned.
The USVs are operated using a series of complex detection systems, cameras, sonars and radars which connect them to a parent ship from which they are manned. In this sense, the operation is similar to automated aircraft although it does have the added complication of sea conditions to take into account.
This new initiative is not actually a novel idea in Spain, as the unmanned vessel Vendaval has been in use in the Port of Ceuta, one of Spain’s two north African enclaves, for the past two years.
Measuring 11 metres in length, the USV Vendaval is entirely operated by remote control, is reported to be unsinkable and has an aluminium hull capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures. At the moment, however, Spanish law stipulates that there must always be a captain on board to take over the automated system in case of an emergency.
According to the director of the Port Authority, César López, the vessel nevertheless allows maximum response with minimum input as well as allowing operations in adverse sea conditions, thus reducing the risk to human life.
Images: Armada Española
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