SIMBAAD: Sistema Integrado de Monitorización y Búsqueda de Amenazas Acuáticas para Defensa

Autonomous marine vehicles. Underwater communications. Object detection.

The SRV group has participated in the SIMBAAD project funded by the Dirección General de Armamento y Material within the “Coincidente” programme of the Spanish Ministry of Defence. The project has been carried out in collaboration with the Universitat Jaume I (UJI), the company UTEK (Unmanned Technologies Applications) and the shipyard Narwhal Boats. The SIMBAAD system integrates an autonomous surface vessel developed by UTEK, an autonomous submarine provided by the UIB and a set of motorised buoys, by the UJI. The control centre has been developed jointly by all the members of the consortium. The purpose of the system is to detect possible threats that could endanger a port area or critical infrastructure. The project has integrated technologies developed in the civil domain with applications of interest to defence. The main innovation is that it combines fixed and mobile sensor networks with advances in wireless communications from an underwater vehicle to a surface vessel, a highly reliable system that can be used in multiple operations related to underwater surveillance and threat detection and identification. The integration and operational demonstration tests were conducted at the Algameca Naval Station in Cartagena between July and October 2022. See the demo video here.