Ukrainian DELTA combat system coordinated 50+ drones in NATO maritime exercise

On 21 October, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry has reported that the country’s Naval Forces have participated for the first time in REPMUS 24, NATO’s largest exercise focusing on unmanned systems in maritime operations. The exercise took place near the Tróia peninsula in Portugal from 9 September to 27 September 2024.

Delta is a situational awareness platform that consolidates real-time intelligence from multiple sources, enabling commanders at various levels to monitor the battlefield in real-time. In September, Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense announced the full deployment of the Delta system across all defense and security units. Previously, Delta was integrated with Poland’s TOPAZ artillery fire control system, used in the Polish-supplied KRAB howitzers and RAK self-propelled mortars, now in service with Ukrainian forces.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry says that during the REPMUS 24 exercise, the Ukrainian military demonstrated the capabilities of their DELTA combat system, which successfully coordinated the operations of over 50 unmanned vehicles of various types, including underwater, surface, ground, and aerial drones. The system’s versatility was further highlighted by its ability to connect with and receive location data from a German “robodog” called Robotics-L, developed by Rheinmetall.

ukraine's delta system now operational across all defense units situation awareness cwix 2023 nato office ukraine 358409105_285736693987749_6167013097864028926_n — Ukraine’s Delta situation awareness system at CWIX 2023. Photo: NATO Office in Ukraine.

Deputy Minister of Defense Kateryna Chernohorenko said,

“A series of NATO events involving Ukraine this year proves how valuable our military’s innovative developments are to Western partners. Joint maneuvers with NATO, such as REPMUS 24, not only facilitate the exchange of experience but also increase the level of interaction between Ukraine and our partners.”

According to the Ministry, the DELTA system demonstrated its interoperability by integrating with other combat systems during the exercise. This integration enabled data exchange and differentiation between “friend” and “foe,” significantly improving operational management and enhancing coordination among exercise participants.

The exercise covered a range of tasks, including combating submarines, neutralizing sea mines, and protecting critical underwater infrastructure.

REPMUS 24 was organized by NATO’s Joint Capability Group on Unmanned Maritime Systems (JCGMUS), the Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), the University of Porto’s Engineering Faculty, and the European Defense Agency, under the auspices of Portugal. The exercise aimed to integrate unmanned platforms, command and control (C2) systems, and cross-domain interaction, while ensuring operational compatibility with NATO partner nations’ command systems.

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