NATO ordered K-STER drone robots to neutralize mines.
The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) ordered the developer of underwater remote mine disposal systems Exail Robotics Belgium to manufacture special K-STER drones. As stated in the official release of ECA Group, which is the founding company of Exail, the amount of the concluded contract reaches €60 mln. And the main consumers of the future automated minesweepers will be the units of the Navy of Belgium and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, ArmyInform informs. -Ster CT and related equipment to them.
K-Ster units will be assembled on Exail's production lines at its Belgian plant in Ostend. The factory, which opened in 2022 is already producing a number of drones for the Belgian and Kingdom of the Netherlands navies as part of a program to modernize their mine countermeasure capabilities.
"We are very pleased to continue our support to the Navy of Belgium and the Kingdom of the Netherlands and NATO allies with our advanced mine clearance technology. This new contract is a testament to our commitment to providing innovative and reliable solutions for MCM operations. In Oostende, we have all the necessary production infrastructure for the production of these new systems», — said Anthony Penn, Chief Commercial Officer, Exail.
K-Ster C — it is a single-use unmanned transport device for combating underwater explosive threats, designed for effective mine disposal. Externally, it is somewhat similar to a classic torpedo.
200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000The device has a compact design, which ensures easy deployment and operation, and is also equipped with a powerful cumulative charge that can effectively neutralize all types of mines. Its high maneuverability and advanced guidance system allow you to precisely target and detonate enemy infernal devices, ensuring safe and clearing of minefields.
For its part, K-Ster CT — this is a special version of the drone, created for training purposes and equipped with an inert warhead. This allows realistic and effective training of Navy personnel without the risks associated with warheads.
The K-STER remotely controlled underwater vehicle has a mass of 50 kg, a length of 1.5 m, a diameter hull 230 mm, speed 6 knots, duration of the task up to one hour.
A feature of the design of the K-STER device is a nose compartment rotating in the vertical plane with a combat charging compartment. The angles of rotation of the nose compartment are from −90° to +90°, the mass of the explosive is 6 kg This provides the optimal angle of impact on the mine with a cumulative jet. The power plant of the K-STER device includes a lithium-ion battery and four reversible thrusters.
The K-STER device is equipped with a hydroacoustic survey station with a range of operating frequencies of 500–1200 kHz and a range of 40&ndash ; 100 m. In addition, the device is equipped with a color video camera and a lamp. The control of the K-STER device is carried out via a fiber-optic cable.
As the authors of the Naval News portal note, in addition to the units of the Belgian Navy and the Dutch Navy, these mine countermeasures have also been selected and used by the command defense forces of about 20 countries.