Large scale evaluation and testing in operational environments: the REPMUS exercise

This paper discusses the Robotic Experimentation and Prototyping with Maritime Unmanned Systems (REPMUS) exercise from the perspective of the main concept behind it, large scale evaluation and testing in operational environments. REPMUS is an annual exercise organized by the Portuguese Navy, alongside with Porto University (FEUP), NATO Centre for Maritime Research and Experimentation (CMRE), NATO Joint Capability Group Maritime Unmanned Systems (JCGMUS), and the European Defense Agency (EDA). Currently, it is the largest exercise of its kind in the world. REPMUS, developed in the framework of the triple helix framework (academia, industry, and governmental institutions), provides an unique environment to evaluate and test not only vehicle systems and technologies, but also concepts of operation for large scale deployments with interoperable multi-domain vehicles.