Saab has been chosen to lead NATO’s new Allied Underwater Battlespace Mission Network (AUWB-MN) programme, a major step in integrating crewed and uncrewed maritime systems across the Alliance.
The Saab-led MANGROVE consortium formally began work on 1 September 2025. Its task is to design a Reference Architecture and a Test and Reference Environment for a mission network that will enable secure, rapid information exchange and combined operations above, on and below the water.
NATO intends for the outcome to serve as a new standard for underwater operations.
Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s business area Kockums, said: “All of the MANGROVE consortium’s expertise and collaborative focus for the next 12 months will be on the successful development of a mission network for NATO’s operations in the underwater battlespace. As all aspects of the underwater domain grow in their strategic significance, this will be a critical contribution to our collective maritime security and defence.”
The project is part of NATO’s Digital Ocean and Antisubmarine Warfare Barrier Smart Defence Initiative. It is backed by 12 sponsoring nations, led by the UK alongside Sweden, the US, Australia, Spain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway.
David Burton, Project Director for NATO’s Antisubmarine Warfare Barrier initiative, said: “The AUWB-MN project is a significant step forward in the modernisation of our warfighting capabilities and the ability for NATO allies to operate effectively together in the underwater domain of the future.”
The MANGROVE consortium includes CETENA and IDS of the Fincantieri Group, FlySight, GraalTech, Miraya, Saab UK, BlueBear, S2IX and the University of Plymouth.
