Belgian Armed Forces acquires multi-role ROVs

The Belgian Armed Forces has taken delivery of six new remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) built by French maritime robotics company Exail.

The craft will be used by the Belgian Navy for inspection and disposal of underwater explosive ordnance as well as safeguarding of harbours, coastal areas, ships, and key infrastructure.

The ROVs can be easily deployed from small boats or from the shore. Each craft can accommodate a robotic arm and various payloads, enabling use for a range of missions.

For explosive ordnance disposal missions, each ROV will carry a special payload that also includes a neutralisation charge. Highly accurate positioning will be ensured by the embedded INS, Doppler velocity log, and ultra-short baseline sensors.

The ROVs will also each be equipped with a multibeam sonar and an underwater camera for precise target detection and identification.