This is an exceptionally impressive craft that is suited to a very wide range of defence roles. At 32 metres LOA and capable of 45 knots, with a range of 1,200 nautical miles and a low profile, aluminium structure, fully remote operation and, even, autonomous capabilities, it has a lot going for it. All it needs are imaginative navies and coast guards to utilise it effectively.
"It is one of the largest unmanned high-speed interceptors in the world with remote control capability possible over great distances," CMN Naval told Baird Maritime.
"It also has the ability to execute autonomous transit missions, pattern autonomy, and dynamic collision avoidance while being operated via over-the-horizon network connectivity almost anywhere in the world."
The builder added that the technology installed in the craft can provide a range of new capabilities to enable owners' fleets to enhance their operations.
"The naval shipbuilding market is vibrant and constantly evolving and adapting in anticipation of evolving threats. We are therefore witnessing a shift to and focus on USVs due to their numerous benefits such as reduced risk to human life, increase in operational capabilities, improved efficiency, and cost savings to name a few. We believe this trend came about as a direct response to unmanned threats such as UAV drones and hostile USVs."
CMN Naval added that having smart USVs available to some navies will help them provide additional protection for both people and assets.
"Another trend relates to the increase in vessel use for non-traditional missions such as humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and marine environmental protection. The latter is a new framework being implemented by many of the countries we deal with. The scope of each framework varies depending on the country, but the focus is generally on preserving, regenerating, and sustainably and responsibly exploiting resources within the marine environment."
The previous year was "busy and exciting" in CMN Naval's own words, and business has since been going well with continued growth.
"Our group's focus continues to be the delivery of sea-proven vessels that are tailored to the operational needs of different navies around the world," the builder told Baird Maritime. "We are building off our track record of delivering highly sophisticated vessels, such as the Baynunah-class corvettes, six examples of which have been delivered to the UAE Navy."
CMN Naval expects that the maritime security industry will grow significantly over the next few years, with key trends including an increasing focus on cybersecurity and use of technologies such as artificial intelligence becoming more widespread. The coming years will also see the proliferation of autonomous vessels for maritime patrols, threat monitoring, and incident response.
"The French marine industry is well-positioned to grow and thrive in the coming years," added CMN Naval. "The industry is innovative, committed to sustainability, and has a strong export focus. We expect it to grow significantly over the next few years, being driven by increased investment in offshore energy and associated infrastructure, by growing demand for vessels in security and defence applications, and by innovation and technological advancement."
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