Underwater drones put to the test: Belgian and Slovenian VSW teams train at the Lakes of l’Eau d’Heure

Belgian very shallow water (VSW) special forces and their Slovenian counterparts recently trained together at the Lakes of l’Eau d’Heure in the province of Hainaut. For one week, they tested underwater drones and other advanced underwater technologies, exchanged views on working methods and at the same time strengthened European cooperation.

The Belgian Armed Forces have been training underwater drone operators at the lakes in the region for many years. The reason: away from operations at sea, they offer realistic conditions for shallow-water missions, with comparable technical constraints.

Under these conditions, the two VSW teams deployed their autonomous underwater drones. Once programmed, the devices search the seabed, detect suspicious objects and analyse the underwater relief. The Belgian Navy has been building up this know-how for several years and passes it on to its partners.

Exchange on methods and equipment

Even more valuable than the environment and technology in this training is the personal and professional exchange. Gasper, a member of the Slovenian Armed Forces, is quoted in a recent press release as follows:

Working with another navy is very enriching— Gasper, Slovenian Armed Forces

because we can compare our working methods and equipment and learn an enormous amount from each other.— Gasper, Slovenian Armed Forces

Tristan from the Belgian VSW team agrees:

Working with another navy, like the Slovenians today, is a great added value. They show us their equipment, we show them ours, and we compare the way we apply our respective procedures.— Tristan, Belgian VSW team

During the training, the Belgian team was also able to test a new mine clearance drone from Slovenia. The Viper drone can neutralise an underwater mine and then return to the pick-up point – a concept that interested the Belgian operators. It is controlled via an intuitive interface reminiscent of a games console controller. After only a few minutes, Tristan had the drone fully under control.

Underwater drones and shared security

Given heightened geopolitical tensions and more complex maritime security challenges, it is becoming necessary to work together and to know and understand each other. Gasper said:

Because we use similar equipment, cooperation is easy— Gasper, Slovenian Armed Forces

This made the work on site easier while leaving room to exchange and compare practices.

In Tristan's view, such joint exercises fit seamlessly into the wider framework of NATO:

Training together is important because we are part of the same Alliance. Only in this way can we truly work together when it becomes necessary.— Tristan, Belgian VSW team