Romanian Naval Forces personnel, alongside military structures and specialists from five allied and partner states, are taking part in OPEX 26, an exercise involving autonomous unmanned systems held in the Black Sea from May 18 to 29.

The multinational operational experimentation exercise OPEX 26 is taking place in the Mangalia military port and in maritime areas of the Black Sea, with the training activity aimed at testing and integrating unmanned equipment into naval operations, as well as strengthening interoperability among participating structures.

'The exercise also brings together Romanian Naval Forces personnel, military structures and specialists from allied and partner states - Bulgaria, Canada, Portugal, the United States and Turkey - as well as representatives of civilian companies involved in the development of autonomous maritime systems,' reads a press release sent on Monday by the Romanian Naval Forces.

Romanian servicemen are participating in OPEX 26 with the maritime diving vessel 'Grigore Antipa', minehunter M 271 'Captain Constantin Dumitrescu', hydrographic survey boats 'Ocean 1' and 'Ocean 2', unmanned equipment for maritime research and teams of specialists in naval operations, hydrography and oceanography.

'During the exercise, activities will include maritime surveillance and monitoring, training for the use of unmanned surface and underwater systems, as well as tactical sequences aimed at strengthening cooperation among participating forces,' Romanian Naval Forces representatives also said.

The opening ceremony of OPEX 26 took place on Monday in the Mangalia military port in the presence of the commander of the 'Commander Alexandru Catuneanu' Maritime Hydrographic Directorate, Commander Lucian Grigorescu, and representatives of the participating structures. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Nona Jalba; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)