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Thursday, March 28, 2024

UAS to Patrol Mediterranean Sea

Aiming to test the use of unmanned systems in enhancing the maritime awareness picture in the French Mediterranean Sea, the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has established a multipurpose maritime surveillance operation. Led by the French Navy (Marine Nationale) and customs (Douanes), operational missions started on September 23 for an initial period of three months.

The project will consist of general maritime surveillance over waters under French sovereignty and jurisdiction in the Mediterranean Sea, more specifically, encompassing:

  • maritime monitoring and surveillance in support of coast-guard functions – maritime safety and security, supporting further maritime domain situational awareness, fisheries control and law enforcement; and
  • maritime environmental protection, namely oil spill detection and characterization, identification of targets possibly connected and where needed offering support to oil spill response. Marine Nationale and Douanes will command and monitor the missions remotely from Toulon and Marseille respectively and the unmanned aircraft will be operated from the French Air Force Base at Istres.

The contractor operating the unmanned system is the REACT consortium (CLS and TEKEVER) and the aircraft to be used is the AR-5 unmanned fixed wing aircraft. This asset has a payload comprising a maritime radar, electro-optical and infra-red cameras, AIS receiver and EPIRB antenna. It is ready to fly under SATCOM and can perform night and day operations.

Read more at EMSA

UAS to Patrol Mediterranean Sea Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Today
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.
Homeland Security Today
Homeland Security Todayhttp://www.hstoday.us
The Government Technology & Services Coalition's Homeland Security Today (HSToday) is the premier news and information resource for the homeland security community, dedicated to elevating the discussions and insights that can support a safe and secure nation. A non-profit magazine and media platform, HSToday provides readers with the whole story, placing facts and comments in context to inform debate and drive realistic solutions to some of the nation’s most vexing security challenges.

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