Ostend, January 6, 2026 – Exail announces an order worth approximately €40 million for several hundred additional K‑Ster mine neutralization vehicles via the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA). This new order follows the framework contract established in 2024, which allows all Alliance navies to rapidly acquire these drones through a simplified procedure.

This acquisition confirms the momentum within navies to thoroughly modernize their mine countermeasure (MCM) capabilities by relying on autonomous systems. As a European leader in mine countermeasures, Exail is at the heart of a global transition towards drone-based operations that are faster, safer, and more efficient.

The K‑Ster units ordered by European navies will be produced on Exail’s assembly lines in Ostend, Belgium, an industrial site opened in 2022 and already fully operational to support major MCM modernization programs.

Renewed Trust in a European Strategic Partner

“We are very proud to see Alliance navies renew their trust in our mine neutralization solutions. This new order confirms not only the operational reliability of the K‑Ster but also Exail’s structuring role in modernizing the MCM capabilities of Alliance navies. With our Ostend site now fully scaled, we are ready to support navies in the modernization of their next-generation MCM capacity,” said Jérôme Bendell, CEO of Exail’s Maritime Systems Division.

A Direct Contribution to Maritime Sovereignty and Security

By strengthening the K‑Ster fleet of NATO navies, this order helps enhance the security of maritime routes, protect critical infrastructures, and control underwater domains—issues that have become central for European nations. It also demonstrates Exail’s ability to deploy sovereign industrial solutions, mastering all key components of mine countermeasures.

Source: Exail