The Spanish technology companies SAES and Satlink have successfully validated the Ocean Sentinel system during the NATO-organised REPMUS 2025 international exercises held in Portuguese waters. This edition saw a deployment of several smart Ocean Sentinel buoys, supported by the Spanish Navy, which demonstrated their effectiveness in the early detection of underwater threats in a multinational operational environment.
The REPMUS exercises (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping using Maritime Unmanned Systems) represent the largest international event dedicated to experimentation with unmanned naval systems. Each year, they bring together allied navies, industry, and research centres to test the most advanced maritime technologies in real scenarios, with a particular focus on interoperability and command and control.
During the exercises, the Ocean Sentinel buoys proved their capability to operate autonomously in real-world scenarios, as well as to detect underwater threats. Each unit is equipped with passive hydrophones, devices that function like underwater microphones, capturing sounds in the marine environment and enabling the identification of threats such as surface vessels.
The data is processed directly on board each buoy through edge computing technology, allowing for immediate alert generation. These alerts can be configured remotely according to the specific mission profile. Additionally, thanks to satellite connectivity, the system provides early warning capability regardless of its geographical location.
These features make Ocean Sentinel an ideal solution for protecting critical infrastructures such as ports and offshore facilities, monitoring strategic areas like straits or coastal access points, and enhancing naval security against underwater threats in both national and international operations.
Furthermore, within the framework of REPMUS 2025, the buoys were integrated into Navantia’s NAIAD-SCOMBA command and control system, sharing their acoustic detections alongside more than 15 deployed unmanned vehicles. This integration allowed the buoys to be incorporated into the exercise’s common operational scheme, thereby strengthening anti-submarine surveillance capability in a multinational environment.
Through this participation, SAES and Satlink reaffirm their commitment to innovation applied to naval defence and maritime security, demonstrating that Ocean Sentinel is a mature, scalable, and adaptable solution for both national operations and international missions within the NATO framework.
About SAES, SME
SAES is a cutting-edge international technology firm specialising in projects involving underwater acoustic intelligence and electronics, upholding the highest standards of creativity, innovation, exclusivity, and expertise beneath the sea. We provide solutions for the naval sector across more than 40 countries, always driven by the conviction that our daily work promotes security, the common good, responsibility, and trust.
For over 30 years, we have focused on customer orientation, technological leadership, continuous improvement, renewed environmental awareness, and ethical commitment. Today, we are also innovators for a safer world. For further information, please visit our website: https://electronica-submarina.com/
About Satlink
Satlink is a technology company specialising in the development of high value-added solutions for the maritime sector, with a clear focus on ocean management and knowledge. With offices in 10 countries and local partners worldwide, Satlink exports its solutions to 90 countries and collaborates with over 30 governments as a strategic technological partner for managing their maritime resources and environments: www.satlink.es