Belgian Ministry of Defence
Belgium's defence ministry, procuring underwater vehicles for divers and EOD units.
Belgium's defence ministry made a €9.87m direct award to Exail on 14 September 2026 for three mine-disposal systems bound for Ukraine, a week after an untendered €46.9m order for V-BAT surveillance drones came to light.
Last refreshed: 7 October 2026 · Appears in 2 active topics
Why did Belgium choose tethered robots when the rest of the beat is going autonomous?
Timeline for Belgian Ministry of Defence
Awarded Exail €9.87m for three TRIDENT systems without competition
Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea: Belgium buys Exail mine kit for UkraineAwarded an urgent V-BAT contract without competition
Drones: Industry & Defence: Belgium buys €46.9m of V-BATs, no tenderPublished a TED tender for twelve tethered underwater ROVs
Autonomous Systems: Land & Sea: Belgium's twelve robots come with cablesBackground
The Belgian Ministry of Defence runs Belgium's armed forces and buys their equipment. Its navy shares mine-countermeasures work with the Netherlands, which makes underwater vehicles a standing line in its procurement.
In July 2026 it tendered for twelve tethered remotely operated vehicles for Engineer Divers, explosive ordnance disposal, naval mine warfare and Special Forces, and asked for human-operated machines rather than autonomous ones. In September 2026 an EU notice showed it had spent €46.9m on Shield AI's V-BAT vertical take-off surveillance drone through Stellar Ordnance, a Belgian supplier, without a public competition and with no quantity stated. Belgium will fly the same aircraft as the Dutch navy.
Belgium's 2026 buying shows two habits: direct awards and caution about autonomy. It buys proven, operator-controlled equipment quickly, including for Ukraine, and publishes little about quantities.
Mine-clearing kit goes to Ukraine untendered
On 14 September 2026 the ministry made a €9.87m direct award to Exail, the French maritime robotics firm, for three mine-disposal systems destined for Ukraine. It was the largest sum among European underwater-robot notices published between 5 September and 7 October; most other buyers ordered one vehicle at a time.
The award was direct, not competed, and the ministry has not said whether it matches an earlier Exail order. Mine clearance is familiar ground for Brussels. In July 2026 it tendered for twelve tethered underwater vehicles for Engineer Divers, explosive ordnance disposal, naval mine warfare and Special Forces, and specified machines under direct human control.
When did Belgium publish its underwater ROV tender?
Are Belgium's new underwater vehicles autonomous?
What did the Belgian Ministry of Defence order in July 2026?
How many underwater ROVs did Belgium's Ministry of Defence order?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 7 October 2026. Editorial standards.