The aim of the project is to develop and implement the concept of a System of Systems (SoS) that integrates different types of manned and unmanned vehicles in a swarm to achieve greater efficiency in underwater missions, such as surveillance, reconnaissance, mine warfare, collaborative engagements, or support for amphibious operations. The focus is put on innovative technologies like swarming, underwater communications, and autonomous operation to augment the versatility and future naval forces’ capabilities in the underwater domain.

The scope will cover the different mission phases (deployment of swarms, initial self-organization, path planning, task accomplishment and swarm recovery), as well as the integration with Command-and-Control Systems, including the interaction with elements such as sonobuoys, divers, or support vessels. The main phases of SWAT-SHOAL are operational concept definition, technologies research, and validation through simulation & seawater demonstration.

The SWAT-SHOAL consortium, is composed of 20 entities, including Large Caps, RTOs, SMEs and Mid Caps, of 11 nations, all playing a key role:  Navantia as main coordinator, Sener as technical coordinator, Adyta LDA, Akademia Marynarki Wojennej, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, Cafa Tech Ou, Develogic GmbH, Fincantieri Nextech Spa, Fraunhofer FKIE, GMV Aerospace and Defence, Kongsberg  Defence & Aerospace, Naval Group Belgium, Naval Group France, Prisma Electronics, Saab Kockums, Sea Europe, Lukasiewicz Instytut, Saes, Sotiria Technology and WTD71.

Fraunhofer FKIE contributes innovative technological solutions in four main areas of application: Extended range of underwater communication networks; Integration of optical communication for close-proximity scenarios; Authentication within underwater communication networks; Interaction design and Manned-Unmanned-Teaming aspects enabling cooperation between divers and AUV.

SWAT-SHOAL results will generate important competitive advantages by defining new defence products and markets, many of them with dual use potential, as well as positioning the European products on existing markets where they are not currently present.