The European Defence Agency (EDA) has shown that MARSUR, the EU's maritime surveillance network, can exchange data in real time with national command systems and NATO. The test took place at the REPMUS exercise off Portugal in September.
According to EDA, MARSUR took in data from unmanned systems and from national and NATO sources. It then shared that data across its network. Many of the 23 participating EU nations also ran their own scenarios. These included protecting underwater infrastructure and monitoring shadow fleet vessels used to evade sanctions, EDA said.
— The first time this level of multi-domain integration has been proven live, rather than just on paper, said Jürgen Scraback, head of the maritime domain at EDA, about the REPMUS results.
Sweden's Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Johan Norlén, was briefed on the system during the exercise. Sweden is also testing 28 unmanned systems at REPMUS, as previously reported by NDS.
According to EDA, a funding request has been submitted to upgrade MARSUR from its current protected, unclassified level to EU Secret. The plan would modernise 18 network nodes. It would also connect MARSUR to the European External Action Service's secure network. Subject to European Council approval later this year, work would begin in 2027. EDA says a fully classified network would be operational by 2028.