The European Defence Agency (EDA) has formally become a co-organiser of the Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping Maritime Unmanned Systems (REPMUS) Exercise, organised by the Portuguese Navy, alongside with Oporto University (FEUP), NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE) and NATO Joint Capability Group Maritime Unmanned Systems (JCGMUS). The 14th edition of the REPMUS exercise will take place from 9 to 27 September 2024, and it is expected to count with more international and multi-stakeholder participation than ever before. The exercise is designed to allow large-scale Operational Experimentation (OPEX), where the operational communities engage with industry and academia to integrate the latest best-in-class Commercial Off-The Shelf (COTS) systems during trials in the maritime and amphibious domain and validate Experimental Tactics (EXTACs), upgraded vehicles, updated software, integrated payloads, and C4 on MUS to address Key Operational Problems.
Joining the exercise as a co-organiser offers EDA a platform to engage alongside with relevant stakeholders in the largest MUS exercise worldwide and support its planning by developing scenarios that will directly address key activities set down in the new maritime specific EU Capability Development Priorities, facilitating their implementation in a collaborative manner. This initiative is also in line with EDA’s commitment to Research and Technology (R&T) advancement playing a crucial role in identifying technology gaps and common areas of interest for cooperation.
In this context, the exercise will serve as a strategic platform to promote and showcase initiatives aimed at leading the development of technologically superior military capabilities and can also be used as a venue for the Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI) services related to experimentation. Moreover, the maritime community and its various stakeholders, supported by EDA to address unmanned maritime systems from a regulatory and safety perspective, will find here an annual opportunity to create tailored experimentations and strengthen links between manufacturers, researchers, and end users. The REPMUS exercise is an ideal venue for the experimentation of concepts, tactics, and procedures in line with the Concept Development and Experimentation approach.
The European Defence Agency (EDA) is an agency of the European Union (EU) that promotes and facilitates integration between member states within the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The EDA is headed by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, European Commission’s Vice President (HR/VP), and reports to the Council. The EDA was established on 12 July 2004 and is based in Brussels, Belgium, along with a number of other CSDP bodies. All EU member states take part in the agency. The EDA and the European External Action Service (EEAS), including the EU Military staff (EUMS), together form the Secretariat of the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), the structural integration pursued by 26 of the 27 national armed forces of the EU since 2017.
