The Portuguese Navy's Type 214 submarine Tridente . Sister boat Arpão has conducted a test deployment of an AUV. (HDW (Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft))
The Portuguese Navy has tested the deployment of an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from its Tridente (Type 214)-class submarine Arpão (S 161), Janes has learnt.
Speaking to Janes at NATO's Exercise ‘REPMUS 24' (Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned Systems 2024) on 24 September, Captain António Mourinha, director of the Portuguese Navy Operational Experimentation Centre (Centro de Experimentação Operacional da Marinha: CEOM), confirmed that a successful AUV deployment from a Portuguese Navy submarine had taken place. Capt Mourinha could not provide further details on the launch or on what AUV was used, given the confidential nature of the operation. Arpão was one of the assets participating in ‘REPMUS 2024', indicating that the deployment was from the submarine.
In a news article on the Portuguese Navy's website in June 2024, it said that it was planning to test a Teledyne Gavia AUV from Arpão as part of ‘REPMUS'; however, it is unclear if the AUV used was a Gavia or another type. As part of ‘REPMUS 24', Arpão also undertook a live fire exercise, launching two Leonardo Black Shark Advanced NSP (Nuovo Siluro Pesante) torpedoes.
In a briefing with media later on 24 September, the Chief of the Portuguese Navy, Admiral Henrique Eduardo Passaláqua de Gouveia e Melo, responding to a question from Janes
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