NATO Completes Autonomous Underwater Tech Tests

NATO has completed a series of tests examining new unmanned underwater tech, including underwater drones and a 5G “mesh” to connect surface and underwater assets.

The Dynamic Messenger exercise took place over two weeks in the areas of Tróia, Sado River and offshore from the Sesimbra Peninsula, in Portugal.

NATO said the exercise was established to “enhance data management, tailoring the tactical, operational and strategic pictures in accordance with the Alliance’s broader Digital Transformation objectives.”

In the exercise, assets including autonomous underwater vehicles, drones and autonomous surface vehicles were tested for their efficacy in safeguarding underwater infrastructure, as well as for their potential interoperability with NATO assets for communication and inspection capabilities.

The tests mark the second iteration of the Dynamic Messenger series, first launched in 2022.

Representatives from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Turkey, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S. attended the test event.

In addition, other non-NATO nations sent observers, including Japan, New Zealand and South Korea.

"In addition to furthering the understanding of maritime unmanned systems, Dynamic Messenger 2023 contributes to NATO’s efforts to become a Multi-Domain Operations-enabled Alliance, bolstered by Digital Transformation,” according to a NATO press release. “Notably, the exercise will broaden NATO’s understanding through consultation and collaboration with industry, enabling a deeper understanding of Multi-Domain Operations.”

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