Newsroom
USVs
for Mine
Countermeasures
Unmanned Surface Vehicles
Detecting and neutralizing naval mines is essential for protecting homeland security and ensuring the safe passage of commercial and military vessels.
As underwater mine technology evolves, so does the need for safer and more efficient Mine Countermeasure (MCM) operations. Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) enable stand-off and safe operations from land, dedicated ships, or ships of opportunity. Exail’s Inspector USVs, provides autonomous and remote capacities for MCM operations.
INSPECTOR USVS: keeping crew safe from the MINEFIELD
Thanks to a combination of advanced technology, speed, endurance, versatility, and efficiency, Exail's USVs are well-equipped for the most demanding MCM missions. The Inspector range, featuring embedded payloads and seamless integration with other Exail drones, supports various MCM operations (detecting, classifying, and neutralizing naval mines and underwater threats) while keeping personnel out of the danger zone.
Key benefits
Built to operate reliably in challenging and harsh environmental conditions, ensuring consistent performance
Allows for safe deployement and retrieval in the most demanding conditions from the mothership.
Flexible and customizable equipment to adapt to various mission requirements by easily swapping or adding specialized tools or sensors.
Equipped with GPS and INS navigation systems, USBL for underwater vehicle positioning, Line of sight and over the horizon communication systems, Lidar, AIS, Radar, EO/IR camera.
Deployable from a port, a shore base, or a ship, and operable in remotely controlled mode, supervised mode or autonomously.
Features an A.I based software for autonomous navigation and obstacle avoidance, compliant with COLREGs regulations.
Versatile USVs to detect & neutralize mines
 Inspector 90 |
 Inspector 125 |
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|---|---|---|
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Dimensions |
9.20 x 2.91 with fenders |
12.33 x 4.20 with fenders |
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Endurance |
Up to 24 hours |
Up to 40 hours |
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Max speed |
Up to 20 knots |
Up to 20 knots |
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Payload |
Mine Identification and Disposal systems, seaflool survey sensors, costal protection effectors, ISR sensors |
Towed sonar, AUV with LARS, MOAS, USBL, Mine Identification and Disposal systems, force protection & clearance diver team |
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Hull material |
Marine Grade Aluminium |
Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) |
| Learn more | Learn more |
Why choose us?
Sea proven solutions
With trusted navy partners including the Belgian and Royal Dutch navies
Support & Training
A comprehensive support package encompassing training, maintenance, and provision of spare parts for seamless operations.
Interoperability
Versatile and compatible, Exail USVs host a full suite of mine-hunting assets (Exail or third-party): AUVs, ROVs, MIDS, minesweeping devices, and conventional SAS.
Dedicated Launch & Recovery Systems (LARS)
Exail has developed its own LARS systems for its A9-M and A18-M AUV as well as T-18M towed sonar.
FAQ
An Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) for Mine Countermeasures (MCM) is an autonomous or remotely operated naval surface drone designed to detect, identify, and neutralize marine mines thanks to its payloads without placing human crews in the danger zone. Acting as a force multiplier or mother ship, an MCM USV deploys and coordinates underwater assets—such as Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) and Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs)—to secure vital sea lines of communication. Key differences from standard USVs: its non-magnetic structure (aluminium or GRP) with magnetic compensation to avoid triggering mines, a shockproof design to survive nearby explosions, waterjet propulsion to protect tethered vehicles, a moonpool-mounted USBL for underwater positioning, and high payload modularity.
The primary advantage is crew safety through stand-off capabilities, keeping naval personnel out of the danger zone. Additionally, USVs feature significantly lower acquisition and operational lifecycle costs compared to traditional manned minehunters. Their low acoustic and magnetic signatures, rapid deployability, and capability for continuous, high-precision survey operations make them a superior strategic choice for modern naval forces.
Exail MCM USVs feature an open-architecture design capable of hosting a wide array of mission-critical payloads. This includes high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Sonars (SAS) fitted on Towed Sonars or Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, and Remotely Operated Vehicles for identification and destruction (ROV/MIDS). They are also equipped with automated Launch and Recovery Systems (LARS) to safely handle subsea drones even in high sea states.
Exail USVs seamlessly connect with our Unmanned Management System software (UMISOFT) and Command & Control (C2) suites. This integration enables synchronized, multi-drone operations (collaborative teams of surface, subsea, and aerial drones) managed from a single shore station or mother ship, streamlining real-time data collection, threat mapping, and decision-making.
