Royal Netherlands Navy integrates uncrewed systems into fleet combat management system

By: Dr. Lee Willett

The Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) has successfully tested and demonstrated a new software system designed to integrate maritime uncrewed systems (MUS) command-and-control (C2) capability. The work included using the software to integrate MUS systems with each other and with the combat management system (CMS) onboard the navy's crewed platforms.

The MUS-focused C2 system, called IDUS (Intelligent Distribution of Unmanned Systems), is a Dutch-made, bespoke software family consisting of several different elements. During the tests and demonstrations, it integrated with a standalone version of the navy's CAMS/Force Vision Guardion CMS — another indigenously developed C2 product.

The IDUS test and demonstration activity took place in June during a month-long maritime uncrewed sea trials (MUST) series, conducted from the RNLN's Den Helder base. The trials were designed to prove the capabilities and integration of the navy's new maritime uncrewed task force (MUTF) construct.

"The main focus for this edition of the MUST series was to prove our software system," Captain Sjoerd Feenstra, head of the RNLN's uncrewed systems expertise centre, told Naval News onboard the research vessel MV Geosea during a media day at the conclusion of the MUST activities.

The software is designed to manage uncrewed system use across tasks ranging from autonomous operations to swarming.

"The main goal was to prove that everything we have developed is actually working with the assets at sea in all three domains [air, surface, and sub-surface]," said Capt Feenstra.

Development and Testing History

IDUS has been developed over recent years and was tested at the Portuguese Navy/NATO co-hosted 'REPMUS' exercise in southern Portugal in September 2025. At REPMUS, testing included deploying and tasking two uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) by another uncrewed system using the software.

Following further software development, the aim for MUST was to test IDUS capability across all three domains. Activities included simultaneously ordering and tasking assets from each domain, operating in a set area, to work together to complete a mission.

"Yes, we managed to do it," Capt Feenstra added.

Integration with Guardion CMS

During this activity, IDUS was also integrated into the Guardion CMS. With the CMS deployed widely across the RNLN's fleet, and with the navy seeking to integrate MUS in all domains and tasks across fleet operations, the navy requires IDUS to be a core Guardion application.

These initial integration steps involved the standalone Guardion version used for MUST. This allowed RNLN operations room personnel to create and inject missions and assign MUS assets to them.

"So, we now know that we can actually connect IDUS to Guardion. That has been proved to work over these past five weeks," Capt Feenstra said.

Achieving this integration was another primary goal in the MUST process, he added, noting that the speed of software development for such systems — including harnessing artificial intelligence — is so significant that getting ahead in this field is a main focus.

MUST Requirement

According to the RNLN, the MUST process is designed to help accelerate innovation and the implementation of new concepts across the fleet, in turn helping to prepare the navy for an operational future requiring greater combat power.

The geographical area where MUST took place is also operationally significant for NATO. The North Sea is home to vital maritime infrastructure and access points, including:

• Critical undersea infrastructure (CUI) on the seabed, such as oil and gas pipelines
• Critical national infrastructure on the surface, such as windfarms
• Chokepoints such as the Dover Strait

At the Royal Netherlands Navy MUST uncrewed systems sea trials, the research vessel MV Geosea is pictured operating alongside a NOA UAV. (Credit: Netherlands Ministry of Defence)

The collection of crewed and uncrewed platforms present for the MUST trials included an Interceptor USV carrying Scout UUVs (centre) and a Fender USV (right). (Credit: Netherlands Ministry of Defence)