Portuguese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist Tekever has collaborated with the Mission Systems arm of General Dynamics UK (GDUK) at this year’s Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Uncrewed Systems (REPMUS) exercise, to explore new approaches to anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
REPMUS 2025 and its associated Dynamic Messenger exercise – the world’s largest serials dedicated to unmanned maritime systems – took place around Troia, Portugal, from 1 to 26 September.
Building on its experience at REPMUS 24 with deploying sonobuoys, this year Tekever again used its AR5 UAV to deploy sonobuoys, this time in conjunction with General Dynamics Mission Systems UK’s distributed acoustic processing suite. Outputs, when integrated into Atlas, Tekever’s artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML)-powered intelligence platform, are intended to explore how acoustic data could be transformed into actionable information. The envisioned workflow aims to make detections and tracks more directly available to operational decision-makers on the mission bridge, supporting co-ordinated responses and post-mission analysis, with the ultimate goal of moving closer to closing the loop between sensor, analysis and action.
The AR5 – already used for search and rescue, maritime surveillance, and multi-mission operations – is equipped with electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras, maritime radar, beyond-line-of-sight satellite communications and Tekever’s GAMASAR synthetic aperture radar. The addition of sonobuoy integration and acoustic data processing further extends its potential role in enabling persistent, safer, wide-area underwater monitoring.
“Tekever is committed to delivering force multipliers for maritime defence, and REPMUS provides an ideal environment to test innovation in a collaborative setting,” Tekever CEO Ricardo Mendes was quoted as saying in a company press release. “For us, this exercise is about exploring how cutting-edge technology can meet real-world interoperability challenges.”
Tony Morris, vice president for the Air & Naval Systems business within General Dynamics Mission Systems – International, added, “Integrating our acoustic processing suite into Tekever’s AR5 shows the potential of an end-to-end capability for modern underwater warfare: faster detection, classification, and tracking of underwater threats. Together, we are working to accelerate the sensor-to-decision cycle, enhance situational awareness and strengthen the ability of European and allied naval partners to operate with greater speed, safety and precision.”
