Crewed–Uncrewed Teaming: testing tomorrow’s naval operations today
Conference/JournalMARIN Report 147
Date26 May 2026
The Royal Netherlands Navy envisions a future in which crewed and uncrewed systems operate side by side as one cohesive fleet. To achieve this transition, the Navy, MARIN and TNO have teamed up in the Militairy-Maritime Operational Management in Transition (MOMiT) project.
This transition is an ambitious shift, one that demands not only new technology, but new ways for humans and technology to work together. By bringing tomorrow’s naval operations into today’s simulators, MARIN is exploring a key question: How can we develop revolutionary Operational Management Concepts?
An Operational Management Concept (OMC) consists of operational functions and tasks that are conducted by humans, machines or both, at specific physical locations to achieve the objectives of an operation.
This transition is an ambitious shift, one that demands not only new technology, but new ways for humans and technology to work together. By bringing tomorrow’s naval operations into today’s simulators, MARIN is exploring a key question: How can we develop revolutionary Operational Management Concepts?
An Operational Management Concept (OMC) consists of operational functions and tasks that are conducted by humans, machines or both, at specific physical locations to achieve the objectives of an operation.
Contact
Floris van den Oever
project manager
Jessica Heeman
senior project manager
A future frigate, four USVs, and two ways of working
Over two experiment days, 12 naval professionals stepped into a high-fidelity, fully integrated simulation environment. Their mission: to operate a future frigate travelling across the Mediterranean, accompanied by four autonomous uncrewed surface vessels (USVs). On deck a fast craft and drones are available. Around them, unexpected events happen: first a suspicious surface vessel contact, then propulsion trouble on one of the USVs.
Aerial perspective on the future frigate accompanied by the autonomous USVs
The Royal Netherlands Navy, MARIN and TNO have teamed up in the Military Maritime Operation Management in Transition (MOMiT) project,focussing on Crewed–Uncrewed Teaming and testing tomorrow’s naval operations today.