The French Navy began in October a first exploration campaign of the seabed up to 6,000 meters by means of a drone, in a context of greater competition under the sea, the Ministry of the Armed Forces announced on Thursday.
This October campaign is carried out using a Hugin underwater drone (an autonomous underwater drone called an AUV) leased from Norwegian Kongsberg Maritime, specifies the Directorate General for Armament (DGA).
Various sea voyages planned
The contract, signed in August and for a maximum amount of around four million euros, provides for several sea voyages for this drone.
Implemented from the Beautemps-Beaupré hydrographic and oceanographic vessel, this campaign aims to define the equipment that France wants to acquire as part of its seabed strategy, announced in February.
The importance of the seabed and the threats that can arise there were illustrated at the end of September with the four huge leaks that occurred in the two Nord Stream gas pipelines that connect Russia with Germany, caused according to the first investigations for probable sabotage.
With an average depth of 3,800 meters, the seabed is still largely unknown.
But their access, long out of reach, is democratizing and envying: state and private activities are developing rapidly, from oil and gas extraction to energy transport and the laying of submarine cables, for which Today 99% of the population passes. global digital communications.
Cover 97% of the seabed
For France, it is about preserving its freedom of maritime action and protecting its interests in its vast exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the second largest in the world. Therefore, it must have capabilities to monitor and intervene on the seabed.
France currently has two underwater robots with umbilical cords (ROV), which monitor and intervene with an arm on the seabed and which go to 1,000 and 2,000 meters respectively. On the other hand, it does not have an AUV drone.
Being able to descend to a depth of 6,000 meters would cover 97% of the seabed, the lowest point being the Mariana Trench in the Pacific, at almost 11,000 meters deep.
Source: BFM TV
