Serco to help maintain Belgian and Dutch MCM fleets

Image courtesy Serco

This contract includes the current MCM minehunters and the future Naval Mine Warfare Capacity, which will be manufactured and delivered by Belgium Naval and Robotics (BNR), a consortium formed by Naval Group and Exail Robotics, integrating cutting-edge technologies such as aerial, surface and underwater unmanned systems, designed to keep crews and motherships away from the danger zone.

MCM vessels and unmanned systems play a crucial role in modern naval warfare by detecting, identifying and neutralising underwater mines, ensuring the safety of naval fleets and maintaining secure sea routes.

The Serexna Consortium was able to offer a solution combining the skills and resources of Serco, Naval Group Belgium and Exail Robotics Belgium to support the Belgian and Dutch navies to ensure availability and sovereignty. Serexna will maintain the fleets as they transition to the new Naval Mine Warfare Capacity, which will be delivered between 2025 and 2030. Employees will receive extensive training in the coming months to ensure they acquire the necessary skills for these advanced systems.

Serco, which has been responsible for the current fleet to date, will continue to provide the expertise and experience of around 100 employees. Naval Group Belgium and Exail Robotics Belgium, the Belgian subsidiaries of Naval Group and Exail, in charge of delivering to the Belgian and Dutch navies the new and highly innovative naval mine warfare capability based on vessels deploying Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs), Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), will provide their expertise on these new technologies and support the transformation of the ecosystem.

Arnaud Laure, Managing Director for Defence, Serco, said: “We are proud of the trust the Belgian and Dutch Navies have placed in Serco over the years,”

“This contract renewal is a testament to the strength of our partnership and our commitment to delivering exceptional support. We are honoured to continue contributing to the protection of both nations and their maritime interests, now under Serexna.”

Steven Luys, CEO of Exail Robotics Belgium, stated: "It is a privilege to provide the Belgian and Dutch navies with the support and on-site maintenance for our cutting-edge autonomous systems that will enhance their mine warfare capabilities. As part of this consortium, the expertise Exail brings will play a crucial role in supporting the transition to next-generation rMCM systems."

Nicolas Gaspard, CEO of Naval Group Belgium said: “We thank the Belgian Defence for its trust and are honored to have been selected for this contract. We are committed to delivering a state of the art service whilst developing an effective and innovative maintenance capability in Zeebrugge leveraging decades of naval maintenance expertise at Naval Group.”