Exail selected for E=MCM project

French company Exail has been selected to participate in the European Extended Mine Counter Measures (E=MCM) project. The objective of this consortium project, led by Naval Group Belgium, is to establish a future European sovereign capacity in mine warfare.

In response to the maritime mine threat and within the framework of the European Defence Fund, the European Commission is supporting European navies in enhancing their Mine Counter Measures capabilities, the company says. The primary aim of the E=MCM project is to integrate new functionalities into the next-generation Toolbox 2.0. These advancements are intended to effectively address the multifaceted threats posed by drifting, tethered and buried mines.

“We are thrilled to have been selected as a key contributor to the E=MCM project,” said Alain Fidani, Exail’s Partnership and innovation funding Director. “Collaborating closely with Naval Group and other consortium partners, Exail will play a pivotal role in developing state-of-the-art technologies to counter maritime current and new mine threats effectively and deliver impactful solutions that strengthen Europe’s defense.”

Toolbox 2.0 will go beyond the current new generation stand-off MCM Toolbox that Exail is developing and will be delivering as part of the replacement of the current MCM capabilities for the Belgian and Dutch navies. Leveraging scalable unmanned autonomous systems and intelligent platforms developed by Exail’s teams in both France and Belgium, the new functionalities and improvements will be smoothly integrated into Exail’s MCM ToolBox offer, enhancing operational efficiency and optimizing MCM operations.

Formed in 2022 when ECA Group and iXblue joined forces, Exail was a contender for the RAN’s autonomous and robotic mining project, SEA1905. The project was cancelled earlier this year in the wake of Defence’s release of the National Defence Strategy (NDS) and Integrated Investment Program (IIP).