The European Commission selects the consortium led by Naval Group Belgium for MIRICLE (Mine Risk Clearance for Europe) project
In the frame of the EDIDP (European Defence Industrial Development Programme) and in line with PESCO project MAS MCM (Maritime semi- Autonomous Mine Counter Measures) Naval Group Belgium, a subsidiary company of Naval Group, will lead MIRICLE project for a period of twenty-four months. Collaborating with 18 top European partners in the field, the consortium will strengthen European capabilities in mine countermeasures for harsh environment and evolving threats. This project will allow to reach an European and sovereign capacity in the future mine warfare.
In the frame of the EDIDP (European Defence Industrial Development Programme) and in line with PESCO project MAS MCM (Maritime semi- Autonomous Mine Counter Measures) Naval Group Belgium, a subsidiary company of Naval Group, will lead MIRICLE project for a period of twenty-four months. Collaborating with 18 top European partners in the field, the consortium will strengthen European capabilities in mine countermeasures for harsh environment and evolving threats. This project will allow to reach an European and sovereign capacity in the future mine warfare.
MIRICLE project objectives
MIRICLE project will pave the way of next generation countermeasure solutions “made in Europe”, hence improving fight against maritime mine capacities.
These technologies will more specifically enable European navies to benefit from the highest and most interoperable military mine countermeasures capabilities, in accordance with NATO recommendations. These innovations will complement the main components of mine warfare, made up of the Mine Counter Measure (MCM) vessel, unmanned vehicles and robots (“Toolbox”), the mission system, the communication network and artificial Intelligence-powered decision making.
More specifically, MIRICLE project has three objectives. Firstly, to provide a comprehensive and forward-looking definition and assessment of the MCM technologies. Secondly, to set up the technological development roadmap for next generation countermeasure solutions, which corresponds to Member States' procurement plans. - indeed, MIRICLE is supported by 8 countries who have signed a common Letter of Intent under the coordination of Belgian Defence. At last, to develop the interoperability of these assets.
This 24 month-project will cover study, design, prototyping and test activities, all dedicated to strengthen European States’ R&D cooperation and technical excellence in mine countermeasures. It will contribute to future European Defence Fund (EDF) developments, addressing main mine countermeasure challenges and enabling the European naval community to pursue the development of a unique mine action capability. Thanks to the European Commission and associated Member States’ financial support, the nineteen partners will own a strategic autonomy in the future mine warfare.
Nineteen partners
Naval Group Belgium will bring together the programmatic and operational contribution of different academics, research centers, industries from world leaders in the naval and/or robotics field to small players pushing innovations actors from ten European Union members’ states. The following actors will support Naval Group Belgium and its mother company Naval Group:
Together, they will enhance and bring MCM toolboox to a higher degree of maturity by developing minefield instrumentation to optimize navigation and communication, optimizing mine detection, identification and neutralization.
Innovation is also about the vessels modernization, through to the development of (semi)-autonomous Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMV) platforms, improvement of interoperability & standardization and development of scalable intelligent multi-UxV mission management system and of an evolutive UxV Launch and Recovery System (LARS) on board platform and docking.
MIRICLE project will pave the way of next generation countermeasure solutions “made in Europe”, hence improving fight against maritime mine capacities.
These technologies will more specifically enable European navies to benefit from the highest and most interoperable military mine countermeasures capabilities, in accordance with NATO recommendations. These innovations will complement the main components of mine warfare, made up of the Mine Counter Measure (MCM) vessel, unmanned vehicles and robots (“Toolbox”), the mission system, the communication network and artificial Intelligence-powered decision making.
More specifically, MIRICLE project has three objectives. Firstly, to provide a comprehensive and forward-looking definition and assessment of the MCM technologies. Secondly, to set up the technological development roadmap for next generation countermeasure solutions, which corresponds to Member States' procurement plans. - indeed, MIRICLE is supported by 8 countries who have signed a common Letter of Intent under the coordination of Belgian Defence. At last, to develop the interoperability of these assets.
This 24 month-project will cover study, design, prototyping and test activities, all dedicated to strengthen European States’ R&D cooperation and technical excellence in mine countermeasures. It will contribute to future European Defence Fund (EDF) developments, addressing main mine countermeasure challenges and enabling the European naval community to pursue the development of a unique mine action capability. Thanks to the European Commission and associated Member States’ financial support, the nineteen partners will own a strategic autonomy in the future mine warfare.
Nineteen partners
Naval Group Belgium will bring together the programmatic and operational contribution of different academics, research centers, industries from world leaders in the naval and/or robotics field to small players pushing innovations actors from ten European Union members’ states. The following actors will support Naval Group Belgium and its mother company Naval Group:
- ECA ROBOTICS (France)
- ECA ROBOTICS (Belgium)
- THALES DMS(France)
- CAFA TECH (Estonia)
- TNO (The Netherlands)
- SPACE APPLICATIONS SERVICES (Belgium)
- ELWAVE SAS (France)
- Sociedad Anónima de Electrónica, Submarina S.M.E, SAES (Spain)
- Vlaams Instituut voor de Zee, VLIZ (Belgium)
- TERRA SPATIUM SA (Greece)
- Office National d’Etudes et de Recherches Aérospatiales, ONERA (France)
- DotOcean N.V. (Belgium)
- Ośrodek Badawczo
- Rozwojowy Centrum Techniki Morskiej S.A. , CTM (Poland)
- SISTRADE SOFTWARE CONSULTING SA (Portugal)
- Belss Ltd (Latvia)
- Agenţia de Cercetare pentru Tehnică şi Tehnologii Militare -Military Equipment and Technologies Research Agency, METRA (Romania).
Together, they will enhance and bring MCM toolboox to a higher degree of maturity by developing minefield instrumentation to optimize navigation and communication, optimizing mine detection, identification and neutralization.
Innovation is also about the vessels modernization, through to the development of (semi)-autonomous Mine Countermeasures Vessels (MCMV) platforms, improvement of interoperability & standardization and development of scalable intelligent multi-UxV mission management system and of an evolutive UxV Launch and Recovery System (LARS) on board platform and docking.
