The Royal Netherlands Navy is acquiring eight of Shield AI’s V-BAT uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) for maritime intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
The announcement came as the RNLN’s Taskforce Maritime Uncrewed, a working group established earlier this year, staged a demonstration day at its Naval Shipyard in Den Helder.
Also on display were Lobster Robotics’ uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV), and the leased patrol vessel DSS Galatea leased from Fugro and Damen, who also demonstrated an interceptor drone boat.
As per a Shield AI press statement, the V-BAT system’s success in Ukraine — where the platform is executing long-range, long-endurance ISR missions without relying on satellite-based navigation systems such as GPS — had been a big factor in securing the contract.
It noted: “The decision to procure V-BAT reflects a decisive and focused push to field battle-proven, autonomy-enabled systems capable of operating in contested environments and without reliance on GNSS for navigation or mission execution.”
At the 2024 iteration of the annual Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Unmanned Systems (REPMUS) exercise in Portugal, V-BAT had also conducted successful maritime ISR operations aboard the HNLMS Johan de Witt.
Shield AI President and co-founder Brandon Tseng commented: “V-BAT was built for the types of missions the Dutch Navy and Marine Corps are preparing for — dynamic, distributed, and high-stakes.”
He added: “It’s operational today, proven in the most demanding combat environments, and delivers mission-critical capabilities unmatched by any other system.
“The Netherlands has a strong reputation for fielding cutting-edge capabilities quickly and effectively, and it’s great to see them join a growing list of U.S. allies and partners choosing V-BAT for its flexibility, performance, and mission readiness.”
At the RNLN demonstration day Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Vice Admiral René Tas commented: “We will soon have to arm ourselves against conventional and unmanned systems. That doesn’t mean waiting, but innovating.
“Fortunately, we’ve already begun the transition. The first results are visible here. Incidentally, unmanned won’t replace manned systems. It’s a matter of both.”
And Commander of the Materiel & IT Command Jan-Willem Hartman added: “Together, we’re making progress to accelerate acquisition and elevate our military capabilities.
“And that’s desperately needed, because unmanned systems are already making a difference on the battlefield and will only do so more in the future.”
- You can read more details about V-BAT on the Shield AI website and more about the demonstration day on the RNLN website