The R&D Marine Technology Centre JSC, which is part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), received for the third time this year a prestigious award in the area of Mine Countermeasure (MCM) Systems. After receiving the award from the Minister of National Defence, as well as the Grand Prix Award of the BALT MILITARY EXPO 2016 Exhibition for developing the underwater sensor platform, the Centre was re-awarded with the Defender Award obtaining for the same solution during the International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO 2016.

The aforementioned platform was developed within the BURMIN project, implemented by a consortium consisting of: TUS – leader (FR), TNO (NL), RMA (BE), WTD 71 (DE), Fraunhofer ICT (DE), IPHT Jena (DE), Atlas Elektronik (DE) and CTM (PL), within the UMS programme of the European Defence Agency. The platform, together with the mounted hydroacoustic and magnetic new generation sensors, towed by a motorboat or a small unmanned autonomous unit, allows the detection and classification of mines, including mines buried in the bottom sediments. The platform is stabilized at a set altitude over sea bottom with the use of the autopilot that simultaneously minimizes its pitch and roll.

It should be recalled that as a result of military operations conducted during the Ist and IInd World War, more than 100 thousand naval mines were placed in the Baltic Sea. Despite the passage of more than 70 years since the end of these activities, the mine threat in the basin is still very large, making it in this respect one of the most dangerous in the world.

The Centre’s references in the area of combating the aforementioned threat were established decades ago by its significant participation in designing, manufacturing, implementation and maintenance of specialized, for years successfully exploited naval systems dedicated primarily for MCM vessels.

Currently the leading role of CTM in this area is confirmed by its participation in the process of transformation of (Polish) MCM forces, through participation in the consortium responsible for the construction of the modern minehunter “Kormoran” (integration of the Integrated Mission System, supply of the following subsystems: command & control, passive defense, delivery of key sensors and effectors) and numerous awards CTM received for developing underwater weapon systems, (among others the modular lightweight minesweep).