On 23 June 2023, the Mine Action Flotilla (MCL) took delivery of the boat lift and self-propelled trailers for handling mine warfare drones from the SLAM-F (Future Mine Action System) program.
Specifically designed and built by the Establishment of the Defense Infrastructure Service (ESID) of Brest as part of the SLAM-F armament program, the boat lift associated with a self-propelled trailer will allow the handling of the system’s surface drones, the USV (unmanned surface vehicle). More than just lifting equipment, this equipment is essential for the reconfiguration of drones between each of their missions: they thus participate fully in the “land-sea” continuum and guarantee the operational capacity of the unit.
The five-day training for the Flotilla’s maneuvers and mechanics culminated on June 23, with the first hoisting of the Artemis, the prototype of the mine warfare drone currently being evaluated by the Naval Programs Centre of Expertise (CEPN) and the LCM Flotilla.
Once its mission is accomplished, the USV returns to the base port under the supervision of the operations center located in the command and control building. Near the dock, supervision is transferred to an operator for docking maneuvers by means of a remote control called “HELM”. The drone is taken out of the water by the elevator and then transferred to the hangar using self-propelled trailers for its reconfiguration before a new equipment.
This delivery marks a new concrete step in the program, which will continue with the delivery of infrastructure and series drones in the coming months.